Silent hope
by Arami Heartilly
Summary: 7yrs after ulti. After an unusual battle a new threat is discovered, one with no cause or warning,leaving it up to the group to investigate while Squall and Rinoa deal with some new deveoplements of their own.squinoa, selvine, seiftis, zelllaurie
1. unseen danger

Disclaimer: I do not own final fantasy 8; it is the property of squaresoft. No money has or will exchange hands. However all original characters and story lines are mine. Thanx.

This is the follow up to 'how we came to be' but it's not essential to read that one first. It's set seven years after the game and four years after the last story. I hope you al enjoy it and please let me know what you think.

* * *

Silent hope.

By Arami Heartilly

"No!" she screamed, determined not to loose the fight, Her husband or their lives there.

It didn't seem possible for him to be doing the things that he was.

He stood before them with blood dripping from the gash in his left arm and his now broken nose with a sadistic smile on his crimson stained lips. Raising his hand he made it perfectly clear what his intentions were and as he out stretched his fingers in Squalls direction all three opposing 'him' knew this could be the end.

A jolt shot up through the air, still connected to his finger, that latched onto Squalls chest pulling him closer to the enemy and draining his life force with each blue pulse that ran along the beam.

"Irvine stand back!" Rinoa shouted as she found the strength within her to counteract whatever the man in front of them was doing to cause Squall so much pain. His body was visibly shaking before her and the sight pushed her to the limits of her powers.

The sharp shooter did as he was told, although he worked on finding something to cure Rinoa as he did, he couldn't tell what her condition was but her behaviour warranted some form of help.

Concentrating all the strength she could gather and inwardly thankful for Irvine's help, Rinoa pushed her own hands forwards with one hand behind the other and sent a combination of Holy and Flare in his direction. It was something she was sure had never been done before - not even by other sorceresses throughout history, but she reasoned that they'd never experienced what she had. They hadn't loved like she loved Squall.

The magic caught 'him' off guard and he slammed into the tree just behind his position. The blue beam snapped violently with the shock and sent Squall in the opposite direction.

"You Bitch!" he snarled, leaning forwards and wiping the blood from his mouth, smearing it across his blackened face as he did.

"Sorceress actually." She retorted, looking to her left to see her husband knocked out on the hard, dry soil and noticing a red flash in front of her. It took a moment to realise that Irvine had thrown a shell stone in her direction and she made a mental note to thank him when this was all over.

By now their enemy had manoeuvred himself into a position against the tree and Rinoa couldn't make out what he was doing. There was some sort of screen around him.

The sound of gun fire filled the air, Irvine was taking his best shot and by all accounts was doing some damage, just not much at all and it worried Rinoa as she tried to bring Squall back to consciousness. It worked but just barely and did little to calm the panic that she felt inside her being. _We have to get out of this, he has to..._

"Rinoa, his powers are building, we _have _to do something!" turning she saw Irvine standing with his gun aimed at 'him', the damage he suffered earlier in the battle evident in the deep wound on his right thigh and his blackened coat.

"He's... taking everything we have, power, agility – we have to bind him somehow." Squall put in, regaining his position in the battle and standing strong despite his wounds.

But there was no time for it, all three of them were hit with a force they couldn't see or explain and it sent them to the ground – keeping them there. He appeared once again, hovering slightly above them with his orange eyes staring down at Rinoa. _Master of invisibility then._ Came the whisper from her inner thoughts and it seemed that he was capable of magic that she was sure didn't exist to them, right now however her priority was escaping alive and not analysing the situation.

So by using what little strength she still had she reached for one of the blades on her shooting star and snapped it. Holding it in her hand with the other arm around her waist, using the rest of the pinwheel to shield her. She couldn't tell if Squall and Irvine were still alive as all she could see was right in front of her.

"Sorceress or not, bitch. It still ends here." He taunted leaning right over her until she could feel his breath on her face.

"Not for me." And as she spoke she drew the sharp end of the small blade up and across his throat, pressing harder and harder as he cried out in pain until eventually he fell away from her and collapsed on the ground, breaking apart as he did so until there was nothing left.

She had done all that she could do and now, as her mind slipped into unconsciousness her thoughts were of her husband Squall, she needed him and she had so much more to tell him...

* * *

Irvine crouched over his unconscious friend, her black hair half across her face and her broken weapon shielding her body. Her other arm lay limp at her side although her fingers were still clutching the small broken blade as if somehow the battle wasn't over yet or she still felt the need to protect herself.

"Rinoa wake up, come on." He said, tapping her face to try and get a response – but none came.

Squall was cold, still breathing but his pulse was faint and this only served to worry Irvine even further, he'd taken the most damage in their long battle. More so because of the unexpected and unprepared for nature of the fight.

He'd sent out a call for help but this latest fight had been unexpected so the chances of anyone actually arriving in time and saving his unconscious friends was looking pretty slim. To make it worse there was nothing he could do – phoenix downs weren't working and magic was unavailable, whatever they had been fighting was stronger than anything they had ever faced before.

"IRVINE?!!" somebody called out from a little way further into the forest than he was.

"OVER HERE!" he shouted in reply, silently thanking whatever god was out there for their help.

A few seconds later he was joined by three figures, one of which he recognised.

"Selphie!" she ran to him and held him so close he could hardly breath; she only released him when she heard his wheezing and when she'd stepped back the look on her face showed her deep concern.

"As soon as we heard we came to find you, what the hell happened to you three?" She asked, looking back to where the medics were dealing with her friends.

"You know those strange attacks that have been going on, reports of an invisible creature that's been killing people randomly?" he asked and the small brunette nodded as she took a firm hold on his free hand.

"Yeah, SeeD were informed of it, but that's not why you were out here – there hasn't been any mention of anything like that in this area." Selphie told him, there was a group of SeeD's investigating it in northern Galbadia – they were on the eastern part of the continent and their area was supposed to be clear.

"Well there are now, only the guys dead – that is if there's just one of them. We hardly stood a chance; Rinoa was the one who eventually managed to kill it." He looked to where his friends were now being carried off on hovering stretchers. "'He' got us good, whoever he was, we didn't exactly get a good look at him. But he did have dark hair and orange eyes and damn was he strong. Squall was affected the worst and I don't know about Rinoa."

"But you're ok?" she asked, as they started to follow the medical team back to their transport vehicle, it wouldn't be long until they were back at their Garden.

"I was out for a while but I'm ok now." It was then that Selphie took a better look at him and saw the wound on his leg; she pulled him closer again as if she believed that would make him all right again.

"Good because if you weren't..." she whispered, not even attempting to sound like her normal cheerful self, she wasn't - right then she was scared, of her friends conditions and of the danger Irvine had just faced.

"If I wasn't then Rinoa and Squall wouldn't be alive right now." His solemn tone deepening Selphies fear who couldn't say anything else, she could only hope.

* * *

I know it's a short chapter, but it's more of an introduction really. As always, constructive criticism and positive feed back welcome. Thanx.


	2. out of darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own final fantasy 8; it is the property of squaresoft. No money has or will exchange hands. However all original characters and story lines are mine. Thanx.

This is the second and part of the story, which I have now decided will be three parts long. I hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you think.

* * *

"Squall." She breathed, feeling herself being pulled back from the darkness of her unconscious mind. "Squall?" she called a little louder as her eyes opened and focused on four very worried faces. "Where's Squall?" Rinoa asked again looking at each of them in turn.

"Next door." Quistis told her quietly reaching out and touching her arm; she was sat on a chair to Rinoa's right. Seifer was stood behind the blonde with his hands on her shoulders; he was looking more worried than she'd seen him in a while.

"What's... is he?" she asked panicked at the sudden thought of loosing him as her memory recalled the battle they so nearly lost.

"He's alive Rinny, just unconscious same as you were." Selphie answered, then seeing her dark haired friend try to sit up she added, "You can see him in a little while, try and rest – Dr Kadawaki said that it would be best for you to stay put. Everything's ok, but she wants to make sure that it stays that way."

Rinoa stared right at her, trying to figure out just how deep Selphies meaning was.

"I know... this is hard, but you don't have a choice." The brunette added and the sorceress gave in, slipping back into the covers and staring into the other room through the glass partition. _As long as I can see him._

"Irvine?" she asked quietly, her eyes still on her sleeping husband.

"Yeah?"

"What happened?"

There was a paused before he answered but then, "you saved us. He – that guy who was trying to kill us was destroyed because of you. Then I think we all passed out, it was a couple of hours later that I woke up and raised the alarm, we were all brought here a little while afterwards."

Rinoa looked at him, there was something that he wasn't telling her.

"How long have I been unconscious?" she asked and she knew then that it was that he'd been hiding.

"Since yesterday afternoon." He said quietly and looking at the clock she could see it was really three in the afternoon. She'd been unconscious for nearly an entire day.

Irvine, however had left something else out, he hadn't mentioned that Squall's condition was far worse than Rinoas and if he didn't pull out of his coma soon... the chances were that he might not wake up at all. She didn't need to know that just now, she needed to make sure that she made a full recovery.

"How long do I have to stay here before I can go in there and see him?" the sorceress asked, this time to no one in particular.

"A few hours should do it." Dr. Kadawaki told her as she entered the room and stood at the foot of Rinoas bed, chart in hand. "As I'm sure your friends have told you there's nothing really wrong with you apart from a few superficial injuries, but I just want to keep an eye on you for a while." Then she turned to the rooms other occupants.

"I'm sure that you don't all need to be in here, Mr Dintch has called down here several times already so maybe a couple of you should go and allay his worries and leave Mrs Leonhart to her rest." She wasn't particularly bothered about who went or didn't, just that she could talk to her patient.

"We'll go." Seifer said, speaking for the first time since Rinoa had awoken. "Come on Quis, let's go relieve Daddy-Dintch so that he can get back to his wife, kids and picket fence." The last part he muttered under his breath and Quistis lopped her arm around his, smiling weakly at his latest attempt to insult the martial artist.

"Um...we'll go get something to eat." Selphie announced standing and tugging on Irvines arm.

But the young woman in the bed turned to her friend.

"Stay, please." She asked her, reaching out to her arm. Selphie considered it and then turned to Irvine.

"Second thought's, you go get food and I'll stay here." He nodded and kissed the top of her head before walking out of the room and taking his hat of to Rinoa as he did.

"Thank you."

"Hey no problem." The brunette told her sitting back down again but bringing her chair closer to her best friends bed. She still felt like she was intruding on something personal, but at least he was a welcome intruder.

* * *

That evening, after Rinoa had been lectured on how stupid she had been to go out into the field without having a medical before hand – despite the fact that as Selphie had pointed out, none of them would still be alive if she had done, And having gotten another couple of hours sleep, Rinoa stood in the doorway staring at her husbands sleeping form.

She didn't really know what she was supposed to do to bring him out of the deep sleep he had fallen into, all she knew was that she had to try, she needed him back.

So she padded bare foot across the infirmary floor to the side of the bed. And for a few seconds she just stood there, looking at the gentle rise and fall of his chest and hoping that any second he would open his eyes and show her one of his rare smiles. The ones he kept only for her.

But his eyes remained closed and his breathing stayed constant, there was still no change. Almost instinctively she grabbed the chain she still wore around her neck, but in the seven years since griever had been added two more rings now adorned her wedding finger.

Then carefully she traced her free hand across his pale features, the scar between his eyes seemed darker than it had been in years as if showing that he once again had been injured.

"Dr kadawaki told me that you might wake up if I spoke to you, something about you hearing someone familiar to you..." she started saying, but she didn't really know why she was explaining her reasoning, she wasn't talking to him for medical reasons anyway – she just wanted him back.

"We won the fight, whoever it was is dead, but the beam that it attacked you with almost killed you...." Rinoa bit her lip hard to stop it from shaking and tried her best to hold back tears.

"I... I don't know what to say to you, except that I love you and I need you to wake up. I need you here with me because... because I can't do this alone."

Her hand that had moments before been resting in his face come to rest next to his cold fingers, so she took them inside her own, trying to provide him with at least a familiar warmth.

"I know that I probably should have told you all of this before we left, but then I remember that none of us expected it and that according to Irvine none of us would be alive if I had...." Her tears won the battle then and slipped out from her weakening control.

"I'm sorry, I wanted to tell you before – but – I – I..." she paused, not sure what she was supposed to do or say, every way she thought of telling him just seemed wrong.

"I feel like such an .... an Idiot... but I can't stop crying, I won't until... until... I need you here with me Squall, there is no way I can do this without you." Her raven hair fell into her face and she pushed it way, wiping her tears as she did.

She felt like her world was crumbling around her once again, like the person she needed most in her life could be leaving her. She'd lost her mother all those years ago and yet it felt as if the pain was reawakened in this new situation. But she wasn't the child loosing the parent; she was the wife on the brink of loosing her husband.

"I know that I must sound selfish, but this isn't just for me.... I ...." But again her tears took over and she was left silent, just watching him.

Rinoa didn't know exactly how much time had passed until she'd regained enough emotional control to speak to him, but she knew she had to say it, whether he heard or not. It would be cruel to keep him from the knowledge she held.

"I'm.... I'm pregnant." She stuttered, and had she not been so shaken up she would have believed she felt his hand tighten around hers. With the words flowed another stream of tears, she was caught up in the cruelty of the situation, like just when everything in her life came together something else appeared and took it all away.

"And I won't do this without you... I can't." water still poured down her cheeks but the determination and strength that she found in her heart over rode it's control of her speech and her body.

Once again she looked down at their hands in her lap as she considered something,

"You have to come back to me – to us, I don't care if you're the commander of this place – or that SeeD needs you, I _need_ you, I love you..." she slipped her right hand form her lap to wipe her tears away from her already pale and injured cheeks, covered in tiny scratches from their battle, to wipe away her tears.

Dr. Kadawaki had told her how important it was to wake him, that communication rather than patience was the answer. But communication wasn't always verbal; she and Squall had developed away of speaking to each other without saying a word.

So with that in mind Rinoa placed squalls hand over her abdomen and held it here as she spoke.

"I know that you want this, I've seen it in your eyes recently, please don't leave me... don't go before you get a chance to...." _Do what your father never could_, her thought's finished the sentence she would not voice – even if he couldn't hear her it wasn't something she ever wanted to have to say to him.

"I want our child to grow up with both parents, I want you with me Squall... we need you." It was after she'd said what she needed to she gave up and let the emotions rage through her body, the pain was too much for her to bear and bleakly she wondered if she'd ever survive it... fate, it seemed was going to tear them apart – after everything that they had been through....

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The next part will be up shortly – as it's written just not typed up yet. As always constructive criticism and positive feedback welcome. Thanx 


	3. reawakenings

Disclaimer: I do not own final fantasy 8; it is the property of squaresoft. No money has or will exchange hands. However all original characters and storylines belong to me. Thanx.

I'm soooooooo sorry for the appalling lateness of this chapter and I cannot apologise enough! All I had to do was type and edit it but everything else seemed to get in the way. Once again I'm soooo sorry and I thank all of those who have been patient enough in waiting for me to update. Thank you, anyway on with the story…

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_He couldn't explain it, something had pulled him form oblivion, a silent cry in the darkness and slowly he felt himself drift towards her voice and her warmth. As if something had allowed him to hear it. She needed him and he knew he couldn't refuse the person he loved the most._

"Rinoa?" the voice was barely a whisper, but she knew it too well. "Rin?" it came again, a little louder this time and she felt his hand move underneath her own.

Her eyes darted to his and she watched as they slowly opened, blinking a few times before they were able to take in the light from the room.

"Rinoa…." He whispered as she once again brought her now shaking hand to his face – he was alive – he'd come back for her.

"Hey." And she smiled as he gently brought his hand up to meet hers, it was then that he realised he couldn't remember how he got to be there in the first place, he remembered a surprise attack in the woods but couldn't recall the end of it…

"What happened?" he asked her, noticing the change in her features as he did, it took her a moment before she answered him though.

"I managed to destroy who ever it was that was attacking us… put I passed out – it was Irvine who raised the alarm and let Garden know what had happened." But there was still a look of sadness in her eyes – one that he couldn't place; it was as if he'd forgotten something that he was supposed to know.

"How long have I been here?" he asked, suddenly worried that he'd been unconscious for months – or possibly even years. He didn't quite know why that was the first fear to enter his mind, she didn't look any older, but at that point it was all his weary brain could come up with.

"A day, maybe a few hours more than that. I woke up this morning and…" the way she just seemed to drift off only added to his fear that something was wrong….

"Rinoa, what's wrong?" he asked, his tired and pounding head unable to comprehend why she had started crying. He tried to sit up so that he could hold her… but unable to fight the wave of dizziness that it brought he gave up and sank back down into the softness of the bed.

She just sighed and let her silky black locks fall in front of her face. He wondered if maybe she was trying to hide something from him but then he saw where their hands were rested and somewhere in the back of his mind a memory came to him.

"Rinoa, is something wrong with the baby?" He heard her gasp and look at him, still crying but looking more surprised than anything.

"You…you heard me?" she asked, trying to judge the look in his eyes, sure they'd talked about children but she wondered if this was too much of a shock for him, he'd never seemed entirely comfortable with the idea.

"Come here." And he pulled her down to him, holding her gently but closely to him, needing the contact.

"I'm not quite sure whether I did or I didn't… it all seems to be a little fuzzy at the moment… but all that matters is that I know." Then he paused, remembering his original fear "is there something wrong?" this time he seem concerned and his grip tightened momentarily.

But Rinoa shook her head, nuzzling against his neck. "No, nothings wrong, our babies fine Squall." She whispered before gently pressing her lips against a small scar below his ear lobe and hearing him sigh as she did. _Our baby_, the words resonated in his mind and filled him with a joy he'd never known before.

That knowledge cleared his mind of any other worries for the time being and he was just content to hold her against him, to hear her breathing and feel her heart beat against his chest. There were things he wanted to ask, but he was still so tired and in a pleasant state of emotional shock to really care.

* * *

"So…?" how are they? What's going on?" Zell asked Quistis who had once again come to fill him in on his friend's conditions. 

She smiled. "Squall's awake, DR kadawaki seems to think that Rinoa got through to him and that he'll make a full recovery."

He just nodded "Thanks Quistis."

"Hey no problem, I can see that you've got your hands full." She was referring to the bubbling baby boy bouncing on his father's knee.

"Yeah… he's not that much trouble on his own, it's only really when his brother and sister are here as well that it get's out of control." Zell told her, letting the baby boy play with his fingers.

"Hmm." Was the only reply he got from his fellow SeeD and he wondered what was bothering her.

"Quistis, is there something you wanna talk about? I mean I know I'm not the best person when it comes to advice… but something really seems to be bothering you."

She looked at him, deciding whether or not it was a good idea to tell him of the fear she still held inside.

"Quistis?" she sighed and decided it was probably the best thing to do.

"I just keep thinking how damn lucky they were… I mean what if there are more of those things? Or people? If it took a sorceress to beat them then what are we supposed to do if that happens again?" she knew her questions were probably the ones that everyone else was thinking but somehow they seemed to un nerve her more than the rest of her friends.

Zell shrugged, "I can't give you an answer to that one, all I can tell you is that there have been no more sightings or reports on the monster that was terrorising the Galbadian continent." She nodded but he could tell that it wasn't really helping her feel any safer. "You also have to remember that they weren't exactly ready for any sort of conflict – after we defeated Ultimicia we haven't needed to fight that hard, maybe we're just a little out of practice."

She studied him as he said this and smiled,

"Thanks… I'm not quite sure how you did it… or when you decided to make so much sense… but thanks Zell." He just smiled at her comment, knowing that every once in a while he surprised his friends. It wasn't that he didn't think as seriously as the rest of them… but sometimes he just didn't want to think about how much danger they were in.

He guessed that having children must have changed him.

"Hey, no problem… ahh could you do me a favour?" he asked, knowing that he was probably on Quistis's good side at that moment.

"Sure." And she nodded as she reached the door.

"Could you get me some hot dogs sent up please?" Quistis rolled her eyes and smiled, _just when I thought…

* * *

_

"So… how long?" Squall asked his wife, who had just re entered the room after Dr Kadawaki had finished checking up on him, the doctor had sent the sorceress to eat something while she did, knowing that she wasn't fond of the food in the medical centre and that in her current condition she needed to look after herself.

Rinoa smiled and sat herself on his hospital bed, taking his hand in her own and nudging him over so that she could sit at his side.

"Have I known?" and he nodded, it wasn't exactly the question he'd meant to ask, but it was information he wanted anyway.

Content with leaning her head on his shoulder and feeling the warmth of the arm he place around her shoulders, Rinoa continued.

"Since the morning before we ended up in here." Squall just nodded,

"And you didn't want to tell me before our mission because it wasn't supposed to be a dangerous environment out there right?" _Plus there was the fact that she'd been afraid that he'd make her go back to Garden._

Once again she smiled, but he couldn't see it - her face was hidden against his chest and her raven hair was blocking his view anyway.

"That, and I didn't exactly think it was the sort of thing to bring up casually at breakfast, especially not in front of everyone!" He chuckled and placed kisses in her hair, using his other hand to gently tilt up her chin so he could see her face.

"I know, but I still don't get 'how' you knew, we don't exactly carry around pregnancy test's on missions." He told her, but Rinoa bit her lib and sighed.

"You do if you already think you're pregnant and just want to confirm it." Her voice had become very quite, which only begged the next question…

"Rin, how pregnant are you?" he asked, holding her a little closer to him, she seemed to be worried that he was somehow going to be angry. But he wasn't, he knew that she wouldn't have told him until she was certain anyway, and for someone who always seemed to be so forthright about everything… children was one subject she was always scared to approach.

He wondered vaguely if that wasn't in some part due to him, it wasn't that he meant to avoid the subject… just that he still had a hard time believing that he could be so lucky as to be married to her. Thinking about children made him feel like he was whishing for too much… he couldn't allow himself to feel like he deserved them.

"Two – nearly three months." She whispered, not able to look at him, afraid of him thinking she'd purposely kept the information, but instead he wrapped both of his arms around her and stroked her hair with his hand.

In some ways it was a valid argument, but the truth was that they'd all have been dead without her being on that mission and so taking it to be fate or simply good timing Squall thanked the heaven's for his wife and their child.

He could hear muffled sounds coming from her, she sounded like she was once again on the verge of tears.

"Hey, shhhh." He soothed, guessing that her current situation was setting her emotions on high. "It's ok, we're all safe now." But all she did was hold him tighter, that man – if he was even human had nearly killed them, it had been so unexpected and she was so afraid of something like that happening again. She knew that she wouldn't be allowed to partake on any dangerous missions for a long while yet and her fear of what might pass in that time seemed to grow with every passing second.

"Hey, it's over." He told her again; deciding the only way to get her to clam down was to change the subject. "You don't need to worry about that anymore, we have bigger problems – about baby clothes, doctors, telling my father… " It was then that it really hit him that he was going to be a parent. As in he could actually start to imagine being a father, nappies, late night's – all of it… everything Laguna had missed – he would make sure he was there for.

Rinoa, her eyes still puffy and still holding Squall close to her, tilted her head up to relay information she might otherwise have forgotten.

"We umm, we have to go to Esther anyway, Dr Kadawaki want's me to get checked out by the Estharian doctors." She didn't sound concerned, but he still worried a little, _if she's fine why do they have to see her? _

But as if reading his mind, Rinoa smiled weakly, "she said it's only because she's never had to deal with a pregnant sorceress before, she want's to make sure we get the best care." Squall nodded, it was true – he couldn't remember them ever being a pregnant sorceress - even after all the research he'd put in about sorceresses and their knights… but then again, not may sorceresses had really lived that long before a lust for power took over. Rinoa had escaped that, her kind nature turning her powers to the light side.

"Oh you will." Squall whispered, then reached down to plant a brief kiss on her cheek.

She smiled then asked, somewhat nervously,

"Squall, you are happy about this right?" it really shouldn't have bothered her and in some ways she already knew how he felt about it… but for some reason she needed confirmation that he wanted this baby as much as she did.

He looked at her seriously, slowly nodding his head but keeping his eyes fixed on hers.

"How could I not be Rin? You've just…. You've given me everything I ever wanted and… I want this baby, our baby." He told her whole-heartedly, brushing away the silent tears that trailed down her cheeks.

Unable to grasp what exactly he had done to deserve this much happiness, Squall just decided that it was better just to enjoy her and the life they had… soon to be joined by their child. No matter what dangers lay out there, his place was now more than ever by her side, as it would be always.

So, with that in mind he tipped his head down once more to place his lips over hers.

"I love you." He mumbled against them, knowing his words could never fully express how he felt. But it seemed that she knew and he didn't need to continue. As they once again surrendered into a world of their own.

* * *

I must admit that I'm not sure whether to continue this story or not, so I might work on a few more chapters. As always positive feedback and constructive criticism is very much appreciated. Thanx 


	4. the start of something

Disclaimer: I do not own final fantasy 8, it is the preperty of squaresoft/sqyare enix. this story has been written purely for enteratinment value and no money has or will exchange hands. but all original characters and storylines belong to me. thanks

I know it's been a long time since i updated this story, but it's taken me that long to come up with a plot and juggle my university work as well as everything else. i hope you enjoy the next installment...

* * *

It had taken Squall a week to recover enough for Dr. kadawaki to allow him and Rinoa to head out to Esthar, even then she wasn't sure that it was the best idea. But she knew that his wife had to be completely checked over, as pregnant sorceresses weren't usual occurrences around Balamb Garden.

"Doctor, I feel fine. I don't see why we couldn't leave yesterday, I felt fine then too." The commander argued for what felt like the hundredth time.

She simply sighed. "You do not understand Commander Leonhart. Your condition is not that simple. Although there will be no lasting damage, you will not be at your usual level of fitness for quite some time."

He frowned at this, not entirely sure what the doctor meant. "You're going to have to be a little more specific."

Nodding, she tried to explain the best she could. "The 'person' or 'thing' that you fought literally drained your energy. The blue beam that your wife and Mr. Kinneas described managed to draw out some of your power. Now from what I can tell there will be no real long term effects, it will not shorted your life span… but it will mean that it may take you a long time to recover."

Squall looked at her, suddenly internally panicked by what he was hearing._ 'Not up to my full strength? But what about Rinoa and the baby?'_

"Commander?" she asked, concerned by the look that had entered his eyes.

He snapped his attention back to her. "How long will it take me to get back to my full strength?"

The doctor paused and then answered. "Most likely until your wife's pregnancy is over and the baby is born."

He simply nodded, hoping that Esthar would keep them safe for the time being and forcing any other worries out of his mind.

* * *

"Do you have everything?" Selphie asked her best friend – who was looking a little ill that morning.

The sorceress nodded. "I'm sure we'll be fine for a couple of weeks, after that I'll probably need to start buying maternity clothes anyway." She noted, gesturing to her blue summer dress, it fitted perfectly at the moment but she knew it would only stay like that for another month or so.

The brunette smiled and hugged Rinoa tightly – but not too tightly. "I can't believe you're going to have a baby! First Zell and Laurie and now you and Squall! This is brilliant!" Rinoa hugged her back, fighting the tears that seemed to have come out of nowhere.

Selphie noticed the quiet tears that fell from the other woman's eyes and pulled back to see what was wrong.

"Rinny? You ok?" she asked, suddenly worried that something had been said to upset her.

But she nodded, wiping away the tears in her eyes. "I'm fine." She sniffed. "I just can't seem to stop crying whenever someone mentions the baby. I just keep thinking how much I need her to be safe and healthy… and how close we came to loosing her – how close we all came to ..to…" but Selphie had her arms around her again before she could say anymore. She could understand some of what she must be feeling… she didn't know what she would have done if she was in Rinoa's position. Seeing Irvine in the state he had been in was painful enough.

"It's going to be ok, Laguna will take good care of you in Esthar and Squall is holding a meeting with Quistis, Xu and the rest of us before you two leave so everything can be sorted out. Plus, we're thinking of doing some research into whatever that thing was that attacked you. We'll make sure you're safe." Selphie soothed, aware of her friends fragile state of mind and that she not only needed to be comforted but to know that something was going to be done.

"Thank you Selphie." Rinoa managed, wiping away the rest of her tears when the brunette released her for the second time.

"It's no problem." She commented with a smile. "Come on, let's get this to the Ragnarok." Selphie added, picking up one of the bags and heading out of Rinoa and Squall's apartment.

* * *

"As I'm sure you are all aware this is the first major incident that we have had in quite some time." Squall started the meeting with his usual air of professionalism. Everyone was in attendance at the meeting – including Zell and Laurie who had left the children in the capable hands of Nida.

"It's certainly been the first thing that has threatened three of the most Qualified SeeD's life since Ultimica." Despite the fact that Rinoa was only technically a SeeD so that she could teach what she taught in Garden, in circumstances such as this one no body bothered with the technicalities. The term didn't mean quite what it used to. SeeD was now used to classify all the elite at Garden, whether that be mercenary work, teaching or training.

"As far as we have been able to determine, there are no more reports of these 'creatures' anywhere in the world. But this does not mean that we won't find anymore." Quistis started to explain. "Because of this we have decided that the best course of action will be to investigate the situation and send teams out whenever necessary." She didn't mention who would make up those teams because she knew it would be the people at the table who would be going, no one else.

"And whilst this is all happening me and Squall will be heading to Esthar, I don't know how long we will be there for, but Dr, Kadawaki seems to think that it will be the safest place for us to be. Plus we do also have a home there so it makes sense." Rinoa explained, she knew Squall was in two minds about it but that it needed to be done.

"The General running of Garden will be left to Quistis and Xu, who already act as my second in commands. With Laurie and Selphie taking on Rinoa's classes – as they volunteered to do earlier." He paused and then looked to Seifer. "I'm putting you in charge of all disciplinary matters and also of the new training center plan."

The blonde man looked at Squall, "_The _plan? The one you and I have been discussing?" he asked, drawing the attention of everyone else who didn't seem to know anything of the current topic of conversation.

The commander nodded. "Seifer, we don't know what exactly we are up against here and I need some one I can trust to train the SeeD's and the candidates to a higher level. We used to rely on GFs but seeing as that is no longer possible I need them to be stronger and more able to do what they might have to do."

The two men looked at each other as they realized what they may well be fighting – at least in terms of strength.

"I'll make sure it all gets done Squall, you have my word." Then he sighed. "I just hope they don't end up hating me more than they already do." He commented dryly and let a small smile cross his lips as Quistis rubbed a reassuring hand across his thigh.

"Right well, seeing as that is now sorted, does anyone else have any questions?" the commander asked.

It was Selphie that nodded, "Can we visit?" she asked smiling.

Squall shook his head and allowed himself to smile as well. "Of course. Now dismissed, I expect to see some of you by the Ragnarok in half an hour." Everyone started to talk amongst themselves them as Rinoa laid her head on Squalls shoulder.

"We're going to be fine you know." She whispered, sensing his mood the way her powers seemed to allow her to. He just nodded, avoiding telling her what Dr. Kadawaki had told him, he needed to be strong for her all the way through the pregnancy – not just when the baby was born. He couldn't accept being incapable or unable to protect the ones he loved – the things he needed most in the world.

* * *

The flight had been quiet; Squall hadn't really said anything the entire time they were traveling, Rinoa had come to the conclusion that he was probably still recovering so she set the Ragnarok on auto-pilot bound for Esthar city and worked on finalizing the lesson plans for the next month before sending them to Laurie and Selphie.

Every now and again her hand wandered to her abdomen and she smiled, thinking of the child developing inside. Their child, their little girl, or so she seemed to think. To be honest it didn't matter to her what sex the baby was –as long as they were healthy. But every time she thought about it she always seemed to instinctively know that she was going to be having a daughter and not a son.

Her gaze drifted to her sleeping husband, if he was sleeping and she wondered what was going through his mind. She knew something wasn't quite right – and that it had something to do with the attack... but what it was he obviously wasn't willing to discuss just yet.

Still having an hour of traveling time left she fiddled with her computer terminal in the hope of finding something interesting to read or look up, but she knew that any information regarding the attack would not be found there anyway. What ever had attacked them was old; centuries of power lay inside that being, _one of Hynes descendants? _For now at least there was no way to tell, so following the lead of her husband she lay her head back in her seat and fell into a peaceful doze.

* * *

Irvine didn't normally feel lost, but with Gardens schedules being reorganized and he himself having nothing to do for the time being he found, for once in a very long time he had nothing to do – even Selphie was busy leaving nothing interesting in that department either – no body seemed to need him.

So deciding to use his free time in a some what wise fashion, he headed to the training center to get in some training – something he knew was bound to come in handy.

As he approached his chosen area it was clear that he wasn't the only one at a loss for something to do. Seifer was leaning onto a vine covered railing towards the lake at the back of the area, gazing out onto the water as if he was waiting for an answer to something.

"Hey Seifer, if you're lookin' for the answers you won't find them in there." He called, but the blonde simply shrugged, not at all startled by the sharpshooter's presence.

"There is no magic answer to what I'm thinking about, just more complications." He sounded somewhat sedate and almost worried, Irvine, deciding he might as well try and help out while he had nothing else to do walked up to him and leaned on the railing next to him.

"Is it anything to do with the current plans?" he asked – knowing that he could at least offer some helpful advice or help in whatever he and Squall had previously planned. But Seifer shook his head.

"Not unless there's some hidden clause that mentions me marrying Quistis Trepe, no."

Irvine just stared at his friend, not expecting that sort of response at all, but knowing now that he wasn't going to get any of that free time even if he wanted it. Seifer was the sort of person who would only mention something if he really wanted to talk about it – other wise it would be easier to get blood from a stone. But when he did want to talk it was usually to talk the whole thing through. Yep whatever free time Irvine thought he had would be spent right where he was, helping his former enemy plan the rest of his life.

* * *

"Nope, there's no mention of anything of the sort in here." Called Laurie to Selphie from across the library – there was no one else there to tell them to be quiet as general school holidays meant that hardly any students visited that particular area of Garden at that time.

"There's nothing in here either." The brunette called back, putting another old and dusty book back onto the shelves.

The former library girl sighed, slumping down to the floor with her back rested against the wall "you know we could always look in the forbidden section that we keep in a storage room at the back of the library."

"There's a forbidden section?" Selphie asked, walking across to find her friend.

"Yep, although it's really just the restricted stuff that's unsuitable for the students, I think that should be the next place we look." Her friend nodded and helped her up.

Laurie led them to the back of the library, behind the desk and through a door that her swipe card unlocked. The room was about half the size of the main library, but not as well lit – even when the light was turned on it wasn't bright enough to scan the shelves. So, Selphie, knowing that she was in safe company muttered a spell under her breath and the room filled with a peaceful kind of light. Bright enough to let them see what they were doing but over powering enough to do anything else.

The Librarian smiled "I wish I'd thought of that all the times I was in here." She told Selphie, starting to look through the shelves of books until she found something she thought would help.

"Selphie, try this one." And she gently tossed an old black bound book to her friend. The brunette looked at her oddly.

"What is it?" she asked, "There's no title on the binding." Laurie nodded, coming over to explain.

"It's an old classified document, Garden managed to acquire them some time ago, before we were born it think." Selphie opened the book as her friend spoke, noting the two different languages on the first fading page.

"Some one must have spent a lot of time translating this… the writing is so small." The brunette commented as she slumped down the floor and continued to read.

* * *

The autopilot had landed them in Esthar air station without incident, and Laguna had been there to greet them. He looked more than a little confused to see them when they stepped out of the ship carrying two suitcases of clothes and other supplies, everything else they would need was already in their apartment in the palace.

Ellone was also there, a few feet behind her adopted father, but she walked forward to greet her brother and sister in law. It was after she hugged Rinoa that she paused and gave the raven-haired woman a knowing look.

Rinoa smiled at her and nodded slightly.

"What?" Laguna asked, looking from Ellone, to Rinoa to his son.

All three just looked at each other, before Squall finally spoke.

"Dad, we have some news to tell you, but I think we should wait until we get to the palace."

Laguna rolled his eyes, "keeping secrets from me?" he said, before leading the way muttering to himself.

Rinoa looked at Squall, _this was going to be fun.

* * *

_

I'll continue to work on the next chapter in what ever spare time i mamange to get. as always, let me know what you think. 


	5. of sight and sound

Disclaimer: i do not own final fantasy VIII it is the property of squaresoft/squareenix. this story has been written purely for entertainment reasons and no money has or will exchange hands. all original characters and staorylines belong to me. thankyou.

I know this was supposed to be posted a few weeks ago, but the internet back home didn't let me post it for whatever reason. but i'm back in uni now and althouh snowed under with work i managed to get this done. hope you enjoy.

* * *

So caught up in his own thoughts, Laguna didn't even notice his sons slight limp as they reached the presidential car that was waiting for them. For the sake of his own sanity he had not been told about any of the events in Galbadia or the aftermath. Squall hoped that the news of the baby would over ride those fears.

The journey was relatively quiet, with Rinoa leaning against Squall as she tried to offer her silent support. Ellone smiled at the pair of them, thankful that her empathic nature sometimes allowed her to see what others could not. But she knew there was something underneath their happiness, something wasn't right it was in her brothers eyes more than his wifes though….

* * *

"Laurie, there are too many references to events in here that I don't understand, and it's filled with riddles…. Who translated this? Maybe they will know?" Selphie asked from where she was slouched against the bookshelf, her SeeD uniform ruffled due to her fiddling. 

The Librarian laughed "They don't know what the author is talking about either." Selphie looked at her confused. "It was Rinoa and myself that translated it, it seems she studied the ancient languages at high school, and I took the extra module when I was training to be a SeeD."

"I had no idea Rin could understand stuff like this… or you for that matter."

Laurie just shrugged "It's just something we chose to do I guess…. I didn't really think it would help with anything, it was just a more appealing option that the 'evolution of wartime tactics'."

There was a shudder from the brunette "You definitely made the right choice there."

"Which riddle is it that you're talking about? We might be able to dig something up –and if not here we can contact Galbadia and Trabia and see what they have." Laurie asked as she came to sit next to her friend, putting down the book she was reading to concentrate.

"It might be nothing, but it caught my eye and if your translation is correct it might at least start us on our way."

"_Separated by sight and sound,_

_when one is lost, the other found._

_For dearest Hyne, her knight kept them thus,_

_Oceans apart in sleep they were thrust._

_They will not wake while on their own,_

_In dreams they cannot take their thrown._

_But should a man with desire provable,_

_Once more the world will seek their tale._

_Locked away may this story be,_

_Until those of light seek the key._

_The knowledge is a power only the good shall see,_

_If darkness should find it, lost we all will be."_

"Is this the story they want to keep locked away?" Selphie asked, once again confused by the riddle.

Laurie shook her head, "No, this is just the warning… the book gives further reference to this later on. There's some sort of story or telling of a historical event that's supposed to hold knowledge of great power. Only no where does it say how to find it, just more mention of this 'light'."

Running her free hand through her hair Selphie looked at her friend.

"Separated by sight and sound, they said they couldn't see this thing… do you think maybe this has something to do with it – I know it's a stretch, but I just have this feeling that this is somehow relevant."

"It's a start I suppose… and this thing was using old magic's… on the level of a sorceress so I guess that makes sense. What worries me is the possibility of having two of them out there."

"We should call the others." Selphie told her, when Laurie nodded they headed into the main library. They would have to call a meeting…. She couldn't help but hope they were on the wrong track and it was just a singular event. But her instincts told her otherwise.

* * *

The sharpshooter looked at his friend, utterly confused as to why he was having such difficulty making this particular decision. He knew what his own views on marriage were, he knew he wanted to marry Selphie… but at that time he knew neither of them were ready for it. Quistis and Seifer on the other hand were already most of the way there. 

"You said there would be more complications, I don't understand how. Don't you already live together?" Seifer half smiled at Irvines comment.

"It's not the living arrangements that are an issue here… it's more I don't know if she will want to commit to marriage or even if she wants children."

Struggling to put the thought of little Seifers running around out of his head, the sharp shooter considered his friend carefully.

"Have you not spoken about it? You've been together for over four years, you share an apartment and you_ work_, the pair of you just _work_… you're going to have to help me out here – I can't offer you advice if I don't know the full situation."

Pinching the bridge of his nose and squeezing his eyes shut briefly, Seifer sighed.

"I love Quistis, and I know that she loves me and there are times when we do the whole deep and meaningful things… but mostly we don't bring it up, the truth is I don't know if she wants to get married at all, not with the way it worked out with her parents."

Looking slightly perplexed Irvine attempted think of something to say.

"This is gonna sound like a cliché, but if you don't at least talk to her you'll never know what she thinks. You can't go on just wonderin' Seifer."

"I don't think it's going to be quite that easy, she's not always easy to read." He tried to explain, but his friend shrugged.

"Neither is Selphie, but she has her serious moments when she needs to, just talk to her - work it out of her gently if you need to. Don't push it and you should be fine."

Seifer nodded, but he really wasn't that sure if it would work.

* * *

"So, what is it that you have to tell me? There must be some reason you've headed to Esthar for what looks like a long visit." Laguna asked, sat across from them in the spacious lounge in the palace. 

Rinoa watched as Squall took a deep breath, "There was an incident in Galbadia over a week ago…myself, Rinoa and Irvine were investigating reports of a creature on the rampage." His father eyed him with careful eyes and Ellone who was sat by Laguna's side started to piece together the events before they had even finished describing them.

"We were attacked." He continued, being careful not to look directly at his father, he felt uncomfortable under his stare. "And we all ended up in the medical center afterwards… we were fighting something we have never come across before, it literally drained our strength."

"But you're ok now… I mean…" Laguna stuttered, it was Rinoa who came to his rescue.

"We defeated it, but it wasn't easy and we're all ok." She paused, not knowing quite how to put the next part. "But that's not why we're here." Her voice was even and calm, giving nothing away. She had a feeling Squall wanted to tell Laguna their news.

Squall half sighed and then took a deep breath, "Soon afterwards we found out that…. That we were… ummm…. Going to have a baby, and dr kadawaki sent us here so that the doctors could take a look at Rinoa and check that everything was alright." He rattled.

His father still seemed to be mentally catching up with what he had told them because it was several seconds before he gave any indication that he had even heard what Squall had said.

"You're…Rinoa you're pregnant?" she nodded, catching Ellones beaming grin next to him. He was staring half in awe and half in amazement.

"That's….wow… I'm going to be a… " His excitement seemed to grow the more he spoke and the more he realized what was going on. He stood up and half walked half stumbled over to them, pulling them into a hug when he knelt down in front of him.

Squall patted him on he back breathing a sigh of relief and Ellone came over to sit next to Rinoa, putting her arm around her shoulder as it seemed Laguna wouldn't be letting go anytime soon.

* * *

"Dis iz completely normalz, zi baby is perfezly ok!" Dr. Odine announced and he ran from one side of the room to the other, looking at several different monitors. Squall had a feeling that many of them had nothing to do with the baby or anything else important for that matter. 

When they had arrived, they did not expect it to be Odine who would be seeing to them, but as it turned out he was, to quote the doctor himself '_skilled in zi art ofz child birzth_.'

Rinoa, who was laying on her back on the medical bench, sat herself up and turned to the little doctor.

"Dr. Odine..." she paused, half not wanting to hear the answer to her question. He turned to her, his attention momentarily fixed on her. "Will my powers…mmm… they won't affect the baby will they?"

He seemed to think about it for a few seconds, a look of puzzlement on his face. "Dat would depend onz what you meanz. They will not be pazzed onto ze child, but ze baby will still haze the ability to uze magic. Like you did before you werze ze sorceress."

Rinoa nodded, and Squall walked to short distance over to her, letting her rest against him. This was all so new and strange to him that the idea of a bady hadn't quite sunk in, he knew he was going to be a father.. but how that would really affect him he had no idea. at least not yet. His mind seemed to be alternating between his current state of health and protecting his wife and child to what was happening back at Garden, he hadn't heard anything from anyone since they had arrived in Esthar... he hoped they weren't keeping him in the dark.

"Rightz, you can go, zere is nothzing elze to check, but i would likze to zee you in a week or zo forzee checkup." the doctor told them, nodding curlty and scuttering off in the oposite direction.

Rinoa turned to her husband, releived and tired. the days travelling and events were finally taking their toll. "can we head home?" she asked,m sliping from the bed and gathering her things together.

"Sure, i'd like to check on things in Balamb anyway." he told her, letting none of his real concerns reach his eyes and taking her by the hand, maybe everything would work out ok this time.

* * *

As always feedback and constructive critism are much appreciated. the next chapter will be up when i can write it, hopefully soon! 


	6. The first preparations

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII it is the property of squaresoft/square enix. this story has been written purely for entertainment value and no money has or will exchange hands. All original charactrers and storylines belong to me. Thanx

I have to appologise for the long delay between updates, end of year exams took over and i fell ill for a few days as well. next chapter will be up as soon as i can get it done. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 6, the first preparations.

Laguna sat humming to himself as he finished the morning's paperwork, Ward at his side gave his friend an odd look but the president didn't seem to notice this. He just smiled, filed away the last of the papers and walked faster and faster towards the door.

"He seems happy this morning." Kiros commented, Ward nodded, watching their friend leave and wondering what was making him so happy, they knew that his son and daughter in law were visiting but he hadn't said anything about why or what would make him _this _happy.

"…. He hasn't seemed this happy since he and Raine got married… or when we found Ellone… or in the weeks after he found out Squall was his son…." Ward eyes Kiros carefully as he spoke. "Do you think Rinoa's pregnant? It's the only thing I can think of that would give him this reaction."

Ward grunted slightly and gave a pensive nod of the head.

Kiros sighed. "If he's this happy now…. I wonder if we'll be able to control him when the baby's born."

* * *

Squall and Rinoa had decided to walk back through the city's shopping district on the way to the mansion instead of taking a car or the sky tubes. Rinoa had insisted she pick up a few new items of clothing (despite the fact that she was unlikely to show for another month) and Squall, still over whelmed by the news had gone without protest.

They had yet to check on the situation back home, both silently reasoning that if something was wrong they would have been informed. Plus, the longer they left it the longer everyone else had to find something of importance that could help the situation.

"What do you think?" Rinoa asked pointing to the nearest shop window, it took his eyes a moment to realize what she was looking at.

"It's a pram." He stated simply, not quite sure what she was getting at. It was pale blue in colour with adjustable hood and some sort of tray underneath.

The sorceress rolled her eyes "I know, I just wanted to know if you'd be ok with one like that…. I know it's a little early but now we know that the baby is going to be fine I want to start looking for things for her."

"Her?"

"Call it intuition, this ones going to be a girl." She told him, looking slightly embarrassed but Squall didn't seem to mind. He just moved further towards the shop.

"It'll be fine, if you want that one we'll get that one." He told her gently, kissing the top of her head as she came to stand besides him. "Now lets get back, see if anyone has an update for us."

* * *

"So what are you suggesting we do?" Quistis questioned the two women in front of her.

"More research for a start, we still don't know who the knight is that is mentioned – records that go that far back are few and far between, we have most of them here and myself and Rinoa have translated all of them." Laurie explained, becoming slightly confused by the look on Quistis' face.

"Quissy?" Selphie asked stepping forwards in concern for her friend.

The blonde SeeD sighed. "That's because the records were split up, as you know the Gardens are what's left of the transport ships the centra civilization used to leave their home after a lunar cry."

The other two nodded, taking seats in front of Quistis.

"The records were originally moved to Balamb, but three years ago we split them up again, Trabia and Galbadia Gardens both have their original records now, I think that's where you will need to go next."

Laurie considered it, but started thinking how long it had taken her and Rinoa to translate their library, two years work could not be done in a few weeks – or possibly less depending on how the situation progressed.

"We're going to need more people." She told them, "Everyone will have to be fluent in the ancient language otherwise we have no chance."

The blonde second in command turned to the computer terminal on her left and started to search the Database for SeeD's with the correct qualifications and availability.

Selphie and Laurie, who were both aware of what she was doing, just waited for her answer both wondering why she had looked so worried just a few moments previously.

"I have six SeeD's including you and Rinoa." She said, gesturing to Laurie. "I suggest you try Trabia first, as this might take a while I can permit next of kin to go with you and arrange living arrangements."

"Thank you." the dark brunette commented, silently happy that Zell and the children could come with them. Leaving them always caused her pain, especially as they were all still so small.

"Are we going to take the boats?" Selphie asked.

Quistis nodded. "Although I suggest that you take a boat to Esthar and retrieve the Ragnarok, I'm sure commander Squall and Rinoa will want to join you, at least for a while."

"Cool, thanks." Selphie told her, standing and heading out of the door. Finally feeling like they were getting somewhere.

* * *

"Commander Leonhart, how can I help?" Seifer asked, somewhat un amused about being interrupted during his free afternoon.

"Cut it out Seifer, you know we've always been on a first name basis. I'm just checking in to see of there have been any developments and I couldn't reach Quistis, Nida said she and Xu had a conference call with Trabia."

Seifer put his feet up on the desk; ignoring the somewhat bemused look Squall gave him from the other end of the camera phone.

"She's sorting out accommodation for a research team, she was going to call you about it later this afternoon." The other man looked as though he expected more of an answer, Seifer was clearly in a difficult mood.

"Care to tell me what this research team is being sent there for?" he asked, trying to keep any anger out of his voice.

Seifer gave in. "She said something about a language team being sent to translate records from the people who came from the Centra region in Trabia and Galbadia, they want to pick you two up and take you to Trabia if you're interested. That's all I know."

"How about everything else?" he asked, both knowing what the conversation had turned to.

"I've put up the new schedules, I've heard the complaints already, but the candidates classed as Mages don't seem to mind, they'll be far more useful anyway." He was referring to the group of students who had shown their own magical abilities, much in the same way that Selphie, Laurie and Quistis could. They'd been put on a separate training program, which like everything else was now being turned up a notch.

"Good, we don't know how much longer we have, when or if something like this happens again. I just need to know we're prepared." The mans eyes met, they both knew what was at stake here. Both were also inwardly thankful that they were both on the same side this time around.

"We will be." Seifer told him, the before the subject got too serious decided to change the tone. "How's Rinoa and the baby."

Squall visibly relaxed at this question. "They're both fine and well, Dr. Odine couldn't find anything wrong… the only trouble is Rinoa has started to get really into the shopping thing. I don't know if I can handle seven more months of baby shops."

"Mmmm, well if chicken boy can handle it with library girl, I'm sure you'll be fine."

Squall simply raised his eyebrows, not seeming that convinced. "I have a feeling a pregnant sorceress is going to be a little harder to deal with."

* * *

Rinoa sat curled up on the comfy seat on the balcony overlooking the palace gardens, her attention was focused on the information Selphie had sent to her when they had spoken a little while ago. Having checked her translation she was sure it was correct, she just wondered – like Selphie what it meant.

Teaching history and magic she knew that if Hynes knight had been properly recorded then she would know about it, but she didn't…. all she managed to really get was that the two beings referred to were kept on separate islands or continents. Her brain was a little too tired to contemplate anything else.

Her musings were interrupted by Squall, who sat down on the seat opposite and handed her a glass of fruit juice, the ice clinking in the glass as he did.

"I take it Selphie told you we've been invited to Trabia." She nodded, taking another sip from the glass and placing it on the table. "Do you want to go?"

Rinoa thought about it for a moment and shrugged. "I'll go stir crazy if I have to stay here for seven months, but we've only just got here and I seem to be getting tired quicker recently… I don't know."

Squall offered her a hand and taking the glass of juice they headed inside, choosing to snuggle on the couch for their discussion as a chill had fallen over the city, something normal for that time in the evening.

"Dr. Odine said that was normal, just be glad you've so far managed to escape morning sickness – I don't think Laurie was that lucky, not from what Zell told me."

Rinoa chuckled, remembering both of her friends pregnancies and the mornings she had appeared for work as white as a sheet.

"I know, at least I don't have that to worry about…. But I don't know where this trail of riddles is going to lead – or even if it has any relevance. I don't want to have to deal with this; I just want everything to be safe and our baby to be born without any battles around her." Squall kissed her head gently trying to alleviate his own fears.

"She will be, there might not be anything to this – and even if there is we have more warning this time. Seifer has already started to implement the new training program and I'm sure the mages can be brought up to scratch quickly. The important thing now is to concentrate on the baby."

She sighed "I know, I just…. I'm worried squall." She snuggled closer to him.

"We all are which is why we need to take our minds off of this subject." She gave him a curious glance.

"What do you suggest?"

"Well, it's not exactly my suggestion. My father has invited us to dinner in about half an hour; he seems to be more excited than he was yesterday. Kiros and Ward told me that he's been humming to himself all day."

Rinoa chuckled at the mental image of her father in law skipping down corridors and humming to himself, occasionally limping but never giving up.

"Do you think he's more excited about this than we are?" she asked half serious.

Squall shook his head. "I just think he has different ways of showing it to be honest."

"Yeah, he does." She fell silent then, seemingly oblivious to squalls presence around her. He didn't say anything, just waited for her to finish her internal discussion before sharing it with him.

"What do you think my father would say if he knew?" the relationship between her and General Caraway had become more and more strained over the years, marring a SeeD hadn't helped matters. He had come to the wedding but it hadn't chosen to give his daughter away, which fell to Laguna. He had already treated her as one of the family and it made sense that he should have some how be involved, he had at one time befriended her mother – and it had just felt right.

They hadn't spoken in over a year – apart from exchanging cards at holidays and birthdays. She knew she was better off without him, but part of her wished he'd take more interest in her life and her soon to be family. Perhaps it was her maternal instincts kicking in and wanting her child to know her family, she had Selphie but other than her father there was no one else who was related to her by blood.

"I really don't know, I know that he cares about you though, even if he doesn't seem to want to show it. He might come round once he realizes he's going to be a grandfather. Just so long as you leave out the part where you tell him you're a sorceress." Squall told her, only half joking about the last part.

She smiled weakly. "I think I'll write him a letter making sure to ask Laguna for the presidential seal on the envelope so he actually opens it."

Squall stood up then, pulling her up with him. "You can do that after dinner, but we should start getting ready for dinner – Ellone will be joining us too and I'm not sure how my father would take it if we were late – he might start to worry.

Rinoa hugged him briefly before heading to their bedroom, having already started to mentally prepare the letter she was going to send to her father later that evening.

* * *

As always reviews and positive critism is welcomed.

Note: just incase anyone who has not read the prequel to this story 'How we came to be' which deals with the group finding out what happened to their parents, Selphie and Rinoa discover they are related. hope that helps. next chapter will be up as soon as possible.


	7. Trabias hidden records

Disclaimer: I do not own final fantasy VIII, it is the property of square soft/ square enix. this story has been written purely for entertainment value and no money has or will excahnge hands. All original characters and storylines belong to me. thankyou.

I was able to get this chater finnished quicker than i thought i could, the end of exams has meant i have time to get my writing done. so enjoy and let me know what you think.

* * *

Chapter 7, Trabias hidden records.

It had taken three days to organise the research teams and scan all of the Balamb documents into a computer so they had a hard copy with them to compare notes with.

Selphie was already bouncing around in nervous excitement – although unable to speak the language she was assigned to comparing the translations once finished. She had decided to learn the basics of the ancient language as well as she wanted to be of some help. Laurie had agreed to teach her in exchange for baby-sitting duties.

"Is everything on board now?" she heard Zell ask as he approached, with his daughter Maria on his back in her baby carrier. She had dark hair like her mothers, for a seven-month-old baby she had a full head of hair and she was gurgling happily to herself seeming to enjoy her journey.

"Yeah, everything's here, we're just waiting on the cadets and other SeeD members to get here." She told him, letting the baby play with her finger. They were on the lead and largest boat, with the equipment and themselves. Everyone else would be on the two smaller boats, but as they were to head out at the same time they had to wait until the final briefing had been given to everyone else.

Laurie then entered the ship, with their three year old boy Alex half clinging to her leg and their younger son Max on her back, who unlike his twin sister was fast asleep. The librarian looked exhausted and Selphie, having had her finger released offered Alex her hand.

"Do you want to sit here with me while your mummy sorts things out?" she offered and the boy reached to her hand.

"Okay auntie Selphie." He said, Laurie sent Selphie a thankful look.

"Right, that's everyone's breifin's done with, y'all ready to go?" Irvine asked as he entered the boat, Selphie noticed he was wearing his new hat, the one she'd bought him for his birthday. He looked casual in a pair of deep blue jeans and sandy T-shirt, his long coat was hung over his shoulder, something he'd need once they reached Trabia.

"All set." Zell told him, having put his daughter in the baby seat attached to the main passenger seats for safety, Laurie had just finished doing the same and Selphie had seated up Alex before moving to the front of the ship to help Irvine with the controls.

He was already on the intercom speaking to the other ships.

"We head off in approximately thirty seconds, we're usin formation alpha and we'll be takin the lead. Safe journey everyone."

* * *

Trabia Garden looked the same as the last time they had seen the place, complete will a cold wind bringing the temperature farther down than it already was. Alex seemed to want to play with the snow, but his younger brother and sister didn't seem to like the cold at all.

The new Commander met them at the entrance, ushering them all inside and leading them to one of the closer lecture rooms. Selphie and Irvine waved to familiar faces as they walked.

When they were all seated Commander Harrison stood at the front of the room. She was in her late twenties, with curly ebony hair that brushed her shoulders with a slim but sturdy frame. Selphie knew her to be a fantastic archer, probably the best in SeeD at that time.

"Welcome to Trabia. Or, in some case welcome back. You're all aware why you're here and I don't want to delay your research any longer, just to let you know that there are cadets outside the room who will take you to your quarters and then show you the restricted section of the library. If you need anything don't hesitate to ask, and I wish you the best of luck."

The all filled out slowly, the cadets being taken in one direction and Selphie, Irvine, Zell, Laurie and the children in the other. They were heading to the more impressive guest accommodation.

* * *

Once in their room, Selphie went straight to the intercom and typed in the correct details to reach Rinoa, she knew her friend would be waiting for her. It only took a few seconds for her face to appear on the screen in front of her.

"Hey Rinny, everything ok on your end?" Her friend smiled at her.

"Yeah, it's so relaxing here, everyone seems to be happy about the news and Dr Odine maintains I'll have a normal pregnancy. But Laguna seems to be a little too enthusiastic." Selphie giggled at that.

"I'm not surprised." Then she changed the conversation to the subject at hand. "We're going to be coming to Esthar in a few hours, well I will – I'm not sure who else will be coming. Either Irvine or Laurie."

Rinoa nodded, "it'll be good to see you guys again – I know it's only been a few days… but I really miss you." The sorceress told her. Inwardly thankful that she hadn't asked if her father knew about the baby. Although she had sent the letter several days ago there still hadn't been any reply. She hadn't been expecting one; it was just hat part of her hoped he would have written back.

"I've missed you too, I'm kinda happy you decided to come with us, I was worried you'd be cooped up in Esthar for the next seven months." The brunette told her honestly, fiddling with the sleeve of her SeeD jacket.

Her friend gave her a warm smile, "me too, if I'm being honest…. I do worry about this little ones safety but I know in myself that staying here constantly will make me feel like a prisoner."

Selphie was aware of her friends concerns and tried to alleviate them.

"You'll be staying at a Garden Rinny, that's pretty safe."

"I know, look I'd better go finish packing, I'll see you in a few hours." And she disappeared from the screen leaving only the Garden network front page in its place.

* * *

"Cadet Lockly, I expect you to have made a vast improvement by the next session, a fighters staff needs to be handled with more control than you seem capable of." Seifer barked at the young female, she held her position but he could see fear in her eyes. A fear that he hoped would turn to strength.

"Cadets Ford, Mathews and SeeD Witters, continuation of your mage training seems to be improving your skills but work on your aim and concentration. Remember that you will need to rely on your normal weapons as well." The three nodded, Witters, the only girl in the trio fiddled with her magical staff, putting its ribbons back into place.

Quistis smiled as she watched him clearly in his element. It had been a unanimous decision to allow Seifer control if the training program three years ago and since then the numbers of cadets becoming fully trained SeeDs had increase dramatically. He was truly happy, which in turn made her world seem that little brighter.

He caught her eye after helping a cadet fix his gun blade holster. The group in training were the elite SeeDs and cadets chosen for their potential should another battle like the one their friends narrowly lived though was to happen again.

"Dismissed." He told them and they filed out of the training centre, chatting in small groups as they did.

Left alone she walked over to him and walked into his strong arms, the contact immediately putting her at ease.

"Rough day?" he asked, knowing the pressure she and Xu were under. SeeD exams were taking place – both for fighters and academics and organising it all was stretching the leaders of the place. Especially with Squall in Esthar.

"Oh yeah." She told him stepping back and taking his hand. "But the last of the exams should be finished before the week is up, then it should be back to normal…. As far as my job goes anyway." Then, wanting to take the subject away from herself she asked. "How's the new training program going?"

He shrugged, re holstering his gunblade at the side of his kaki trousers shortly afterwards.

"They're improving, not at the standard they need to be, but I'll make sure they get there." However cocky he may have sounded Quistis knew the statement to be true.

She nodded, taking her glasses from her face and pinching the bridge of her nose. She was beyond exhausted. Seeing her like that gave Seifer an idea, one that could potentially sort out both their 'issues'.

"How about we go away for a few days next week?" Quistis didn't answer, she seemed to be waiting for him to give some sort of reason. "Garden will survive without us for a few days, it always has before and we won't go far. It'll give us a chance to relax and think, the way things are going at the moment we might not get another chance for a while."

She considered it; the idea of possibly their last holiday for a while seemed appealing. But she honestly didn't know if Garden could spare her. Squall had, after all left her in part control of the place.

"I'll check schedules and things, it would be nice of we could." She told him, which he took as a yes. Kissing the top of her head and hugging her again, he inwardly wondered how he'd be able to bring up the subject of marriage and children.

* * *

In the end it was Laurie who had chose to accompany Selphie, leaving Irvine and Zell to look after the children. The teams had also set to work on the vast amount of ancient writings that had been discovered there, Laurie had brought some along with her for the trip and sat typing the translations while Selphie steered.

The journey to Esthars new dockland hadn't taken too long from Trabia, it was covered by the same technology that kept the city hidden, but they possessed the code to get inside – part of Garden policy for high ranking SeeDs such as themselves.

Leaving the ship in the dock they headed into the city, a shorter walk then it had been due to the new pathway that had been constructed. Squall and Rinoa met them just inside the city walls near the air station where Ragnarok could be seen.

"I still can't believe they let us keep that thing" Laurie commented as they approached their two friends.

Rinoa made her way towards them, taking both girls into a warm hug. Whether or not it was her hormones or just the fact that she missed them, she was grateful almost to the point of tears to see them both.

Squall just shook their hands; still not completely okay the idea of hugging his friends so openly.

"How are you feeling Rin?" Laurie asked her taking a proper look at her pregnant friend in her jeans and black with blue-laced strapped top. She looked well, but she knew herself that it wasn't always the case.

"I'm okay, I seem to be getting tired quicker than usual but apart from that I'm fine – for the moment at least." The raven-haired young woman explained.

"It's good to hear, I can't say I was this lucky though – I seemed to have all the symptoms in over drive." She told her as they headed to the ship, Selphie had decided to help Squall with the luggage, having cast float on it to follow her to the ship.

Squall gave her a bemused look.

"What?" he just shook his head, he knew it wasn't uncommon to see floating luggage but he envied those who had the natural talent sometimes, would have made life easier.

Laurie and Rinoa continued their conversation about impending mother hood for most of the journey, Selphie sat by herself curled up in one of the back seats on the bridge reading the textbook her friend had leant her. She wanted to be as helpful as possible.

Squall left the ship on autopilot and set to polishing his gun blade. He was going to head the Trabias training centre as soon as they were settled in, grateful for a chance to improve his strength to the level that it once had been.

* * *

"You weren't kidding when you told me there was a lot to get through." Rinoa commented as she set up her laptop on the desk next to Laurie's, Selphie was across from them doing the same thing.

"I think there's about the same amount of stuff here as there is in Balamb, but with more people it should be done quicker." The librarian told her, taking a sip from her coffee and continuing what she had been doing.

Rinoa picked up the nearest book to her and started to read, typing her translation a few lines at a time, making sure that it was correct. There didn't seem to be anything of interest, just historical records of battles and events on the centra region.

"I think I've found something." Laurie announced, catching her friends attention, she handed Rinoa the passage with her pencilled notes detailing the translation.

_In the central place the secret hides,_

_In a tower that travels to the skies,_

_A secrets keeper lies in wait _

_For those of light to seek his fate._

"I take it that refers to the centra ruins." Laurie nodded.

"That's what I thought. But the only beings ever found there were Odin… and we all know what happened there and tonberry king. I'm going to doubt that he can help us with this."

"Maybe… but there might be some information there or something of use. Odin did make us pass a test before we could use his power in battle, maybe that's what the riddle means." Selphie suggested, joining in the conversation.

"Could be." Rinoa told her. "But the second line still confuses me, unless it just means the towers vertical… I think it should be checked out at least. I just don't know who would do it."

"Wouldn't it have to be someone with language skills?" the librarian asked, having never visited the place. The sorceress shook her head.

"They could just photograph everything or stream it live to us here and if there are books or documents even better."

"True. I'll speak to Quistis and see who she wants to send." Selphie said, standing when the other two women nodded in agreement.

* * *

Squall was unsure as to why the communication screen in his room had decided to interrupt his quiet solitude, but he was unimpressed at it's timing. He had been about to head to the training centre having warmed up in is quarters.

Pressing the receiver button he was concerned to see Quistis before him, she looked unsure of herself and he tried not to let panic flow through him, his training had taught him better than that.

"Hey Squall." She said, looking as though she was struggling with something.

"Quistis, is there something wrong?" he asked, noting that she, like Seifer had the ability to take a while to get to the point.

He heard her sigh and fiddle with her SeeD uniform.

"Squall, is it vital to Gardens safety that I stay here?" he gave her an odd look, not entirely sure what she meant by that.

"That depends, are there any crises going on at the moment? Apart from the current research operation?" he was waiting for her answer to silence his fears.

"No." he was instantly relieved. "But with the rest of our group with you in Trabia…. I wanted to know if it would be okay for us to leave for a few days." Without asking he knew whom she was referring to.

He thought for a moment then, he knew the way her mind worked. She needed to feel like she was wanted and that people needed her around, Squall would have to tread carefully – he didn't want Seifer on his ass for upsetting her. _Or for any other reason_ in inwardly added.

"There is a way that you could potentially do both." The blonde woman looked at him, bemused by his comment. He inwardly sighed, not liking being so diplomatic. "We need to sent a few people to the centra ruins to do some investigating, it shouldn't be more than research but according to Rin, Selphie and Laurie it's pretty important."

Quistis nodded at this comment.

"Selphie spoke to me a few hours ago. I haven't assigned a team yet."

"Then I suggest yourself, Seifer, Fujin and Rajin. You're all high ranking SeeDs and more than capable, plus there should be opportunity for some time to yourself." This seemed to convince her and she smiled.

"Thanks Squall, say hello to everyone for me."

"Will do." He told her, standing and turning the screen off before taking his gun blade and heading to the snowy training centre.

* * *

As always reviews and constructive critism is much apreciated, knowing what people think of this story helps me to continue with my writing and improve aspects of it. next chapter wil be up as soon as i can get it done. Thannx. 


	8. Centra's tale

Disclaimer: I do not own final fantasy VIII or any other games in the final fantasy series. They are the property of Squaresoft/square enix. This story has been written purely for entertainment value and no money has or will exchange hands. All original character and storylines belong to me. Thank you. 

A/N: Thank you to my beta reader Ste-raw for his help with this and for all those who have been reading and those who have been reviewing. It's always good for me to know what you think. And now on with the next chapter.

* * *

Chapter 8, Centras tale.

Seifer had spent the whole trip there up on deck, relishing in the peace and solitude it offered him. He had spoken to Squall just before they had left, telling him about the plans and the developments at Garden there were no problems as yet so the commander seemed satisfied but Seifer could sense that something else was bothering him. Just the mention of the baby changed the demure of the other man. He was working too hard.

"APPROACHING" Fujin called, stepping briefly onto the deck. He gave her a curt nod and she quickly disappeared inside.

He knew Quistis was down below steering the ship and preparing for the mission, trying to keep her mind on the job as she always did. After the Ultimicia incident she had steered away from personal issues whilst at work. Something he didn't quite seem to have gotten the grasp of.

The idea of marriage was still heavy on his mind, it seemed every free moment he had it was all he could think about. The feeling had been heightened when he learned of Rinoa's pregnancy – life was too short to keep waiting around. He wanted to take a step further, it had already been a week since they had first been given this mission, they'd had to finish the SeeD exams before they could move out.

Seifer stood as the ship docked, choosing to exit via the ladder at the side and met the other three on the ground. Rajin and Fujin saluted, but he waved of their old habit and simply smiled. Approaching Quistis he reached down to help her collect the bags, brushing her shoulder as he did so. For a fraction of a second he could see the normal Quistis looking at him, then she was gone.

"We need to get inside." she simply stated, leading the way with 'Save the Queen' readily at hand.

* * *

DR Braska, chief medical officer at Trabia Garden had been the one to perform the first scan on the new baby, now at just over three months pregnant it was still hard to see any sign of a bump at all. However Rinoa had been assured this was normal.

The device they were using was Estharian in origin and normally used to assess battle damage in SeeDs and candidates, all she had to do was sit on the chair with her arms at her side and the blue panel in front of her would display the baby.

Squall was sat next to her, looking around the white infirmary, it was similar in design to Balamb but it's long windows looked out onto the snow fields of Trabia and he could see a group of Mages training in the distance.

"We're ready to begin Commander." the female doctor told him, brushing her shoulder length brown hair out of her face and moving towards the screen.

When she pressed the button it took a few moments for the image to focus, but what they saw silenced them. Rinoa moved her hand to her mouth at the sight of the tiny form before her and she felt Squall squeeze her hand.

"As you can see the development at this stage is completely normal, there is the head and the legs. The little one seems to want us to see them today, usually they're facing the wrong direction." Rinoa smiled at the doctor, grateful for the chance she had given her.

Squall was completely silenced and in awe of the sight in front of him, it was so small yet he knew it meant so much, it was their future.

"I can't believe that we have to wait six months for her to get here." Rinoa commented, reaching out to touch the image on the screen.

Doctor Braska chuckled "Believe me. You're going to be glad of the rime you have till this little one is born, my sister had a baby not too long ago and she and her husband were praying for the baby to be late at one point." Then she added "What makes you so sure it's a girl?"

Flushing slightly she answered.

"I can just tell… it's just this feeling I get, whenever I think about the baby I see a little girl… I mean I'd be happy either way, but it's what my intuition tells me."

Dr. Braska smiled kindly. "My sister said the same thing about her little boy, she's a mage of sorts – just like me and you, so it could be your magic helping out." Rinoa smiled nervously, it was on her records that she was a Mage – only those who really needed to know knew her powers true extent.

Changing the subject she asked, "Did she get what she wanted?"

The other woman looked confused for a second and then remembered what they had been talking about before the sex of the child.

"He decided to come right on schedule, and as soon as he was born my sister forgot all about wanting him to be late and just concentrated on him." she explained, walking over to a white table topped box, there seemed to be a stack of card next to it and a control panel on top.

"I can print off a few images for you if you would like, from my experience the Grandparents always want a copy." Dr Braska had a warm smile that more than put Rinoa at ease; she half hoped she's been the one to deliver her daughter.

"Ah, well I'm sure my dad will want one, and Rinoa's cousin… but." Squall looked to his wife, knowing she still hadn't heard back from Caraway.

"I think four will be fine, just in case there is anyone we have forgotten." the sorceress told her, knowing she wanted to keep one in reserve should her father change his mind.

"Alright then, this will only take a few minutes, in the meantime you can step away from the seat if you want to, the image will remain until the session is over." and reluctantly Rinoa did, moving to step into a warm hug from Squall, after more than a week of her father refusing to make contact every time the subject was mentioned she found herself fighting tears, she wasn't even sure it was just her hormones causing it anymore.

* * *

After minimal disturbances the four had made it to the entrance of the centra ruins, the staircase leading up to the main entrance still shimmered blue as the ascended. Quitsis' eyes had strayed to the statue of what she considered to be a sorceress, it elegant form worn away by time but somehow it's presence seemed to tell her that she was in the right place.

"INTRIGUING." Fujin commented, as she spotted a lone tonberry in the distance. it seemed to be waiting for them – not common practice as they normally slowly made their way towards them.

Seifer unsheathed Hyperion and Fujin reached for her chackrum rubbing the last remnants of the last battle from its outer blades. Quistis and Rajin followed behind, but the tonberry still showed no signs of attacking. Instead it simply lead them to the front of the main building.

"Do you think we should follow that thing?" Seifer asked, somewhat unsettled by the idea of not killing it on sight.

Quistis sighed. "I have a feeling it's not going to hurt us, perhaps by winning the allegiance of the tonberry king they no longer pose a threat to us."

"She's probably right, we've taken candidates here before and they've never so much as let us see them." Rajin added, carefully pacing forwards with the rest of them.

So, carefully they followed the small green lizard into the dimly lit hallway, lamps lit by the magic still evident there. It waddled towards the alter come elevator that Quistis remembered from her last visit there, but instead of the lift rising and taking them further forwards it stayed in place and the Tonberry continued forwards past the two statues that faced each other until they faced the back wall.

Seifer still had tight hold of his weapon, watching the green things every move and scanning the area for more of it's little friends. They unnerved him, so much that the one time he had baby-sat for Zells children he'd purposely hidden Alexs plushy version after he'd paraded it across the floor and stabbed his Cactuar toy with the felt knife. At first the boy had been upset when he couldn't find it. But Seifer pacified him with a toy chocobo. A much safer option.

It lifted its lantern to a spot on the lower part of the wall and almost seemed to head butt it. Fujin was stifling her laughter having decided that it was no threat to her or any of the rest of them she re-holstered her weapon.

The wall in front of them started to shake and they all stepped back, as a doorway appeared before them gradually opening wider and wider.

"What is it leading us to?" Seifer asked, covering his eyes from the small rocks flying in his direction. "And why, we could be anyone."

"I think it's lead us, it seems to be moving away." Quistis told him as the door stood open and silent. The tonberry was heading back the way it came. "And I also think it remembers, after all I came here to find Odin with everyone else, and to win over Don Tonberry. The GF's still assist us sometimes, maybe this is their way of helping out."

He just shrugged – not in the least convinced by her explanation, but aware that it was possible. The guardians, although no longer junctionned still seemed to be attached in some way, like loyalty and had appeared in times of need in the past. She could have been right; this could be one of those times. Which only meant trouble for them; there really was something else out there. _Squall is not going to be happy about this_.

* * *

Selphie had found herself on baby-sitting duty that afternoon; everyone else was either in the training centre, resting or working on the translation. Max had settled down for his afternoon nap but his twin sister seemed to be wide-awake, Selphie held Maria in her arms rocking her gently in an attempt to send her off to sleep.

"Auntie Selphie." Alex whispered, his blonde hair bouncing slightly as he reached the bay window where she was sat.

"What is it Alex?" she asked equally as quiet, it seemed Maria had finally started to dose off.

"How long are we goin to stay here?" He asked, pulling himself up to sit next to her.

"I don't know sweetheart." she answered honestly, he seemed to look a little down though and she wondered if he was missing home. "I thought you liked Trabia, your mummy and daddy said you had fun building the snow men with them yesterday." The little boy nodded, but his expression didn't change.

"I did, but I miss my home." he whispered. Selphie could now see his bottom lip trembling.

"Come here." and the little boy edged closer, snuggling against her side and playing with her jumper. Selphie held Maria carefully in her right arm and put her left around Alex.

He seemed to settle and soon, like his brother and sister he was fast asleep. She carefully put Maria in her cot, making sure to clip the monitor to her jeans and covered Alex with a blanket before moving to the table and getting to work.

They had managed to find several more references to this 'light' or as it was said in the old language 'Hikari' but nothing that seemed important, they had also found old world maps pointing out temples and places of importance. So far Selphie had managed to work out that the tomb of the Unknown King was among them as was Odins Tower.

There was a soft knock at the door and she stood from her work to open it, wanting to be as quiet as possible so as not to wake the children.

She smiled as soon as she saw who it was.

"Rinny!" she whispered, as excited as she could in a whisper. "Come in! How did it go?" she asked, letting the raven-haired woman pass through to the lounge.

Rinoa matched her friend's smile. "This is for you." she said, handing her a white envelope.

The brunette opened it carefully but quickly and after seeing what it held she pulled Rinoa into a hug.

"Is that my little niece or nephew?" she asked pulling away and leading her friend to the table she was sat on.

The sorceress nodded. "That's your niece." the smile never seemed to leaver her face. "And you'll be able to hold her in less that sixth months time."

"I still can't believe you're going to have a baby!" Selphie enthused, "I mean, it's not that I didn't know it would happen someday – Zell and Laurie have three… but I guess I thought Squall would want to wait."

Rinoa chuckled "We have been married for four years selph."

"I know… but I guess I wanted to be ready at the same time so we could do this together." Selphies admission shocked Rinoa; she had never spoken of children to her before.

"I thought you and Irvine weren't ready for marriage. I thought you were happy living together." the sorceress told her, moving to sit at her side.

Selphie had a strange look of longing in her eyes when she looked at her friend.

"I am… it's just sometimes I look at Laurie and now you and think how wonderful it would be to have a family. I know Irvine would make a great father and I would love to be someone's mother. I just don't know if he's ready for that."

Nodding slowly Rinoa knew how her friend felt.

"I didn't think Squall was ready either. We'd always talked about children, but always in the future tense." Selphie looked as if to ask a question, but Rinoa answered it without the brunette saying a word.

"A couple of years ago, when we were on holiday in Esthar he just started talking about starting a family, I suppose that's really when we started trying, but it was more a case of if it happens it happens. He wanted to make sure that the illness that had killed his mother wouldn't be passed down to our children, which it won't be, it's never passed on to males so the baby will be safe." The fate of Raine was still something few of their friends knew the cause of, but Selphie had been told when she had joined them on a trip to Esthar.

"You've been trying for two years?"

Rinoa nodded. "On and off yes, every time a political crisis happened we stopped. This baby wasn't an accident, she just wasn't expected."

"I guess if me and Irvine are going to start a family, or get married we'll have to wait until this is all over." she sounded sad, but also knew within herself that this couldn't be rushed.

"If we ever manage to find out when that will be, we still don't know what unleashed the monster in the first place." Rinoa commented. Knowing it was up to Seifer and his team in Centra.

* * *

The room they entered seemed to climb most of the way to the top of the tower; its dark stonewalls were lit every few feet upwards by the same eerie lanterns that adorned the rest of the tower.

Quistis reached for her torch, scanning the walls closely and discovering what she had expected.

"The walls are covered in the old language." she told the other three members of her team. Tracing her fingers across the carvings she noticed in wonder that their condition was immaculate, time hadn't seemed to have touched them at all.

"Shame we can't understand a word of it." Rajin commented, with his own flashlight scanning the opposite wall.

Fujin had her video camera out and was recording the writings as carefully as she could, the light from the attached lamp giving her a perfect image. Quistis stepped back to move out of her way and the silver haired woman gave her a small smile.

Despite the treppies rumours that herself and Rajin had objected to her dating the leader of their 'posse' nothing of the sort had gone on. Fujin had always had an admiration for the other woman and they had worked well together in the past. She had been glad to discover it was her that Seifer had been secretly dating rather than anyone else at Garden. She seemed to see him the way that they did.

"We'll send it off to Rin, she and the rest of the team will be able to figure it out and send it back to us so we know what the hell we're supposed to be doing here." Seifer told them, sounding preoccupied with something else.

"Maybe it will explain why we were let in so easily as well." Quistis piped up.

"I thought you were convinced it was all because of their king." He said, finally turning to face her.

"I am, I just think there's more to it than that. I have a feeling Odin is involved in this somehow." her voice was quiet, she knew that Seifers input in the Guardians fate still weighed heavily on his mind – despite the fact it had been more the work of Ultimicia than him.

"SENDING TRANSMISSION" Fujin informed them, coming to stand in the centre of the room. The writings didn't seem to go much father than seven feet tall so she had been able to capture all of it quickly; she just hoped Trabias team were fast workers.

* * *

Rinoa and Selphie had joined Laurie in the largest lecture room as soon as they had been told about the transmission; it had the largest screen that was accessible to them at the present time and classes very rarely took place there.

The three of them had decided to tackle it by themselves as the sorceress and librarian were completely fluent and could read it as if reading their own language.

"Separated by sight and sound, when one is lost the other found." Rinoa read out, looking at her friends she knew she didn't need to continue.

Laurie paused the tape.

"It's all written here, but why?" she asked. "I know that the ancients lived in Centra before it was destroyed… but why would all of this be in the chamber?"

"I'm guessing that this was where the people who took the records transferred the instructions from, to keep them safe after the Lunar cry." the sorceress told her and watched as the video played onwards.

She paused the tape almost as soon as she had started it again.

"_An ancient secret kept in stone, the mighty keepers secret thrown._" she started, leaving the rest to Laurie.

"_For those who passed the ancients test, he will guide them on his quest._

_Below the mortal lies entombed, welcoming those who entered here this room_."

Selphie simply looked at the other two, amazed at their skill and what they had just told her.

"There is someone or something there…. I was worried due to Odins fate that there would be no one left, but there is… it would appear the tonberry saw them as worthy… perhaps because of our use of the GF's a few years ago… perhaps because of the battle with Ultimicia, whatever the reason there must be something in that room that triggers away in. The answer is there."

Rinoa said, standing and moving to look at the screen, half wishing she was there to see what it would be.

* * *

It looks like this is going to be one of my longest stories to date, I hope you continue to enjoy it, I'm having more fun than I thought I would writing it. As always reviews and constructive criticism welcome. Thank you. 


	9. The secret keeper

Disclaimer: I do not own final fantasy VIII or any other games in the final fantasy series. They are the property of Squaresoft/square enix. This story has been written purely for entertainment value and no money has or will exchange hands. All original character and storylines belong to me. Thank you.

I know that it's been along time since i updated but i haven't had interent access until now - should be back online properly in a week or so, so expect more updates soon!

* * *

Chapter 9, the secret keeper.

"And they expect us to find a door in here?" Seifer asked randomly pushing at different areas of the wall in front of him.

"Apparently so." Quistis told him, on her knees looking for a gap between the walls and the floor, her touch didn't seem to be showing up any spaces, she'd already covered three walls and was fast running out of hope.

Fujin was on the laptop using it as a live feed videophone, Rinoa was on the other end giving her the final details of the translation. It had seemed an odd choice as Fujin rarely spoke in full sentences to anyone, let alone those out side the posse. From what she could make out it seemed to be a pretty one-way conversation.

"LIGHT?" The silver haired young woman looked confused.

The sorceress smiled at her. "The clues and riddles all point towards this whole thing having something to do with light, I've shown you what the symbol looks like so maybe there will be a lever or something there."

"Tried it Rin." Seifer came over to the screen to tell her. "We've pushed them, shone light on them and nothing seems to be working, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated."

"Think good thoughts?" she offered in jest and Seifer smiled.

"Tried that too." on the other side of the phone Rinoa rolled her eyes.

"Then I have no idea, if the test they're talking about has to do with Odin then maybe only someone who passed his test will be allowed to open it."

"Which would be me." Quistis too had joined the crouched group of people around the screen. Her friend nodded.

"It's just a suggestion, maybe it won't open up with the others in the room." she nodded.

"Okay we'll try it, we'll give you an update in an hour or so. Thanks Rin." the sorceress smiled.

"Good luck." and the screen went blank.

Seifer looked uneasily at Quistis, worried at the prospect of letting her do this by herself.

"I'll be fine." she reassured, breaking her own rules by stepping forwards and pulling him gently towards her. He didn't hesitate to hold her closer.

"As soon as the damn door is open we'll be right there with you." but she shook her head, tipping her head up to look at him.

"I won't risk it, not you. If there really is someone down there then I'm sure they won't want to hurt me, you heard Rinoa."

"Quis… please be careful, at the first sign of trouble I want you to call for help." she smiled at him and reached to give him a brief kiss.

"I promise, now go join your posse. Sooner this is over the sooner we'll know what in Hynes name it is we're fighting." reluctantly he pulled away and stepped outside. The doors closed behind him and he closed his eyes, reaching the hand not holding Hyperion into his pocket, closing his fingers around the small velvet box it contained he prayed for her safety.

* * *

Trabias training centre seemed to have been vastly up graded, almost to the point where it would compete with Balamb. Even so Squall didn't seem to think he was getting anywhere. He still tired easier than he was used to, but he pushed himself knowing that training would take his mind off the dangers they could be facing and the current mission to Centra.

"Yo Squall, want some company?" He turned to see the blonde martial artist head towards him, gloves on and seemingly ready for a fight.

The commander simply nodded, waiting for his friend to join him before continuing towards the higher-level area with the T-rex's and the newly added blue dragons. There was also a small selection of hexadragons but they were kept in the specialist area, neither men felt like taking them on that afternoon.

"Has it sunk in yet?" Zell asked as they stepped over a stray tree trunk.

Squall looked at him, wondering if he should open up to his friend. _It would probably be best in the long run; he's done all of this before._

"To be honest, no." He told him. "We got the ultrasound pictures this morning and I keep looking at it… so small… so… I don't know what to say, I don't think it will hit me until I hold her in my arms."

Zell smiled. "I know that feeling, even with the twins I had to hold them to remind myself they were our children…. sometimes I still can't believe how lucky we are to have them." he paused. "What makes you so sure it's a girl?"

The other man just shrugged. "Rinoa's insisting that it is, it just seems to have rubbed off on me too. I don't mind either way." Then he fell silent and Zell studied him closely.

"Look man I don't mean to pry but you look kinda worried about something, anything I can help with?" in all honesty he didn't expect his friend to say anything, he just wanted to put the offer out there.

Squall however, answered before he'd really meant to.

"Look after them for me." the blonde looked confused. "If I can't defeat this thing… if I'm not strong enough and something… something happens I need to know Rinoa and the baby will be safe. Can you do that?"

"Squall, you know you don't have to ask." he put a reassuring hand on the commander's shoulder. He looked tired from the afternoons training. "But we'll defeat this thing together, none of us were ready last time."

His friend simply nodded and carried on walking forwards, readying his Gunblade as he prepared for their battle with the oncoming dragon.

* * *

She had expected to be plunged into darkness as soon as the stone doors closed behind her; instead though she was greeted by a stream of white light, it spread wider and wider on the wall in front of her until the whole thing seemed to be engulfed.

"_Warrior of light you may enter here_." The voice was male and held a tone of authority about it that commanded her attention, yet it seemed soft too. "_There is nothing for you to fear._"

So, taking a deep breath she stepped forwards to be greeted by warmth as the passed through the light. Without realising it she had closed her eyes and only when she felt the soft earth below her feet did she open them again, it seemed she had been transported somewhere.

"_Welcome Quistis_." the voice greeted her once more, but she could not see who was speaking. Looking around the room she noted that it was lit by the same lanterns they had found around the rest of the tower and there was writing around the walls of the room, although it seemed to be illustrated in parts.

"Where are you?" She asked, still unable to work out where the sound was coming from.

"_Turn around_." he instructed, and when she did a gasp escaped her lips.

In front of her was a throne carved in the same stone as the rest of the walls. Two large rubies were embedded each in one arm and an emerald sat at the top of the chair. But what startled her the most was the man sat in front of her. He looked no more than thirty years old, but his skin was a deathly white and his cobalt eyes seemed to see right through her.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice only just above a whisper.

He smiled kindly, he was familiar to her but she couldn't place him.

"_I am the keeper of this tower, you will know me as Odin."_ Quistis simply stared in shock.

"But you were killed… I watched it happen… how can this be?" she questioned, stepping towards him, he whip rocking back and forth at her side.

"_When the beings you have come to understand were locked away, so was I. you may call it suspended animation. It was so there would be someone to lead the warriors on their way. The form in which I assisted you was the one left to me as the secret keeper and thus allowed me to test those who journeyed here."_

"What happened when that form was destroyed?"

Once again he smiled gently, putting her at ease and calming her swirling mind. The implications of what she was being told were still hard to grasp.

"_I lost the ability to appear to you, an ancient warrior took my place, I stayed down here suspended until two months of your time ago. When the seal on one of the beings was released so was mine."_

It took Quistis a few moments to compose herself, but she knew why she was there and what she had to ask.

"What are they? The riddles left mention 'separated by sight and sound' the others said they could hardly see what they were fighting that an energy beam of some sort was used."

Odin nodded sadly. "_They belonged in the court of Hyne, stood strong in her army. But all too soon she knew the power she had passed onto them was too dangerous for them to handle. They turned on those who they did not favour, human and mage alike. So they were banished and I was sent here – a volunteer and one adept with magicks in the hope that I would never be awoken."_

"But someone found one of these beings… opened or unlocked them." Quistis said, almost to herself _'in dreams they cannot take their thrown.' _

"_Yes, but he is defeated."_ she wasn't sure whether his words were meant to be reassuring or not.

"Rinoa slit his throat." again she spoke as if to only herself.

"_Only the light can banish them, Hyne could not, her soul had become too dark by that time so she used the last of her resolve to hide them. Quistis you must understand, they are not powerful in the normal sense, and they cannot match a sorceress_ _in strength, they survive by feeding off the energy of others, never truly dead but never completely alive. Do you understand?"_

"You sent them to sleep so they could no longer feed… which must be what the beam was doing to Squall… but you could not kill them? Then how was it that Rinoa could?" it confused her that one thing was possible but the easiest solution was not.

"_Because they were too strong, the lives of many were sacrificed to send them into sleep, the magical power needed drained most of the mages court. It must have been gathering power slowly when your friends encountered it, that is how you were able to destroy it."_

Quistis nodded, satisfied by this much at least. It made sense to her so far, but there was more she needed to learn.

"_You seek the identity of the one who has awoken one and could search for the other… but I suspect you want it's burial place as well. The world cannot rest until you destroy it, although it will never achieve the power it would have with it's companion gone it still holds a powerful weapon."_

"Can you read my mind?" she asked, wanting Seifer and the others to be hearing this as well.

"_Yours and that of your friends, your lover is most concerned. I know his face but I sense a difference in his heart, it is no longer clouded in darkness. Despite his past I will grant him entry, the others as well. There is much to tell you all and I do not know for how long I can stay here." _His time had been running out from the moment he had stirred, he needed to pass on his secrets to them before he joined Hyne once again.

* * *

When Laurie arrived at the apartment assigned to her family she was surprised to hear her two best friends chatting between them selves. Smiling as she entered the front room she noticed her eldest son asleep in the brunettes lap. Rinoa stood up as soon as she noticed her, she too had a beaming smile.

"I take it your meeting with Dr. Braska went well?" she asked, pulling her friend into a hug.

The sorceress simply nodded, reaching into her pocket to pull out another envelope. She had decided very quickly after leaving the medical bay that Laurie would be getting the spare image. If her father showed any interest she would send him an image from her next scan in a month's time.

"This is for you and Zell." Laurie accepted the envelope, knowing that she had given similar ones out during both her pregnancies.

"She's beautiful." and once again she hugged Rinoa, Selphie came over to join them – also holding a photo.

"You think it's a girl too?" the brunette asked, the librarian simply nodded. "Must be mothers intuition huh." There was a longing in her voice and as Laurie studied her closely she noticed something else too. She looked older somehow, more mature than she sometimes wanted to come across.

"Rinoa has already suggest I talk to him Irvy about it… but I don't know if it's the time." she fiddled nervously with her hair, now long enough to brush her shoulders.

"Still, it might be good to get this out in the open ---" all three women turned to the screen at the other end of the room, the noise had awoken Alex who ran to his mother as soon as he was awake, but the baby monitor stayed silent, the sleeping twins were too far away from the noise.

It was Rinoa that finally stopped the alert, turning on the screen. The faces in front of her were pale, even in the light of the room.

"Quissy, you look like you've seen a ghost." she joked; trying to ease whatever tension the Centra team felt.

"We did." Seifers voice was level and calm, he looked right at her, knowing the Rinoa already knew whom they were talking about.

Selphie came to sit at Rinoa's side and Laurie at the other, Alex sitting in her lap now pacified with his toy cactuar.

"But how?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Stasis of some point, same as the other thing that you fought. We know what it is and will brief you all as soon as we can get to Trabia… we also know where the other one is – you were right about the riddles there are two, but the other isn't awake." he sighed.

"This isn't a secure channel – not top level any way so we'll brief you when we get there tomorrow morning. You'll all need to be there, we had a full scale search on our hands."

* * *

Squall had just stepped out the shower, wrapping his towel around his face when he heard the soft knock at the door.

"It's me, can you open up?" until then he'd forgotten about locking the door at all. He turned the clasp and waited for her to come in.

"Thanks" and she stood on tiptoes, kissing him gently before coming in and sitting on the edge of the bath next to the shower cubicle. They were in one of the best suits Trabia had to offer, almost too luxurious and pristine to be considered one of Gardens, who normally just stuck to the basics for guest suits.

She watched him dry off in front of her, watching the way he avoided moving his right shoulder.

"Have you been in the training centre again?" Rinoa asked gently, still trying to figure out how to give him the news of the meeting tomorrow.

"I had some time to kill this after noon so I headed over, Zell joined me half way through." he could see she looked worried in her reflection, he had to ease her mind. "I just seem to get bored easily – a couple more days and I'll be joining you and the researchers – I can't sit still knowing that there might be someone or something out there trying to unleash some sort of weapon or power."

She walked up to him; touching his shoulder and watching him hide the wince. Closing her eyes she let the cool sensation flow down her arm and into his shoulder curing the wound as she did so.

"I know, I'm just used to being there with you. Shooting star may be fixed… but there's still no way for me to fight with you, not without risk to the baby. I'm just glad I'm able to stay fit." Squall turned then, pulling her into his arms and holding her close and after her initial moment of surprise Rinoa reciprocated.

"Hopefully you won't have to – this could all be over before she's born." she reached up then her kips meeting his, after hearing his words she wanted to give him a moment of joy before giving him the foreboding news.

But all too soon it was over and she looked him straight in the eye.

"Seifer and Quistis will be arriving here tomorrow. They spoke to Odin, they couldn't say much…. but this is going to take a while, finding whoever or whatever is doing this won't be over in a few days or weeks… it could be months." He simply stared at her.

"I watched Seifer kill him… how?"

"Magic has many forms Squall, so do Guardian forces, he and Gilgamesh are different… they were once humans of a sort, we found notes in the records but until today there was nothing to back it up with. We really need to wait until tomorrow."

* * *

As she watched him pace the room in the silence of the night, Rinoa knew sleep would be along time coming for her as well. She never seemed to be able to settle until he had – something she knew had annoyed him at first but he'd grown used to it. However at that moment he had seemed to forget and he jumped when he felt her brush her hand along his spine.

"Come back to bed." she whispered softly in his ear, toying with the hair at the base of his neck.

"There's no point if you can't sleep." He told her dejectedly, trying to ignore the way her touch stirred him. He had to think, he had to sort everything out in his mind. Had to protect them.

Rinoa laughed softly, hovering slightly behind him and leaving a trail of kisses over his shoulder. She felt Squall shudder, knowing it wouldn't be long before he gave in. continuing she moved to face in, still floating to match his height.

The fire in her eyes was something he hadn't witnessed holding such intensity for some time, she was offering more than a loving embrace, she offered a raw release.

When her mouth reached his chest he finally succumbed, she felt him pull her upwards again and soon his arms were crushing her chest against his. His lips claimer hers roughly, hands grabbing at chucks of her hair as she stepped backwards towards their bed.

Inwardly Rinoa knew she'd found her way to reach him and quell his fears, she only hoped, as the last shreds of reason left her mind it would give him a lasting peace.

* * *

As always positive comments and constructive criticism welcome as it's a great way for me to improve my writing. 


	10. the truth laid out

Disclaimer: I do Not own final fantasy 8, it is the property of squaresoft/squareenix. this story was written purely for entertaiment value and no money has or will exchange hands. however all original character and storylines belong to me. thank you.

I know there has been a bit of a wait between this chapter and the last, but i've just started the third year of my degree and the work load is taking up most of my time. i hope you enjoy the next chapter.

* * *

Chapter 10, the truth laid out.

It had been along journey back for the centra ruin team, Fujin and Rajin had settled inside looking over the notes again and making sure they had the presentation in order. Seifer and Quistis on the other hand were both stood on the deck, neither really saying much but gripping the others hand tightly. She was dreading what they would have to tell the rest of them… knowing that Squall would find it the hardest.

"What do you think he will want us to do?" her voice was soft against the quiet hum of the boats engine.

"Honestly? Find it and kill it…. But we both know it's not as simple as that." He sighed knowing that like Squall his own plans for a happy future would have to wait.

"I think he'll send us back to Balamb, he's going to want the new training to continue – maybe even start it up at Galbadia."

Quistis nodded and stepped closer to Seifer, taking in his warmth and wishing that the peace they had all come to know would stay for a little longer.

Squall had sat quietly throughout the main parts of the meeting, Rinoa sat by his side with Zell on the other both shared concerned glances with each other as Quistis explained the time line they were facing.

"Now, according to Odin the person or people that we are looking for regarding this matter do not know the location of the other being… they have been trying to find it along with us." She brought up a map of the world behind them and zoomed in on the place they had come to know as the 'Island closest to hell'.

"The first one came from here, as you can see these images from the recent Estarian satellite confirm that there had in fact been a large excavation recently and no real attempt was made to clear it up."

At this point Selphie raised her hand, getting the go ahead she spoke.

"But then why were all the disturbances reported on the Galbadian continent?" There was a general murmur of agreement through out the room from everyone except for Squall.

"This is a little difficult to explain, but from what Odin said, there is a trigger that has to be activated before the seal on the chamber can be opened… this trigger exists on the Galbadian continent."

"The tomb of the unknown king" Laurie said, somewhat to her self as she pushed her brunette hair behind her ear. The blonde SeeD nodded in agreement with her. "It would fit with some of the things we have been translating recently – we have found mention of a trigger in some of the books here."

"That would mean the same is true from the second of the monsters, do you know where both the trigger and the monster is?" Selphie asked, noticing how her blonde friends face changed to the colour of her white SeeD shirt.

"We know that the monster is on the Island closest to heaven, but no one has been spotted there yet – we checked the satellite system on the way here. Unfortunately Odin doesn't know where the trigger is – apparently it was done for safety reasons and he only learned of the last location when it was breached."

"Was that the trigger that woke him up then?" Zell asked starting to fidget, he knew he wouldn't be able to sit still much longer; it was something he didn't seem to have grown out of. Laurie, who had noticed this couldn't quite suppress her chuckle… she knew exactly what was going through his head.

"He mentioned something to that affect yes."

"So what's the plan?" Squall asked, suddenly seeming to pay attention to what was going on around him. He still had a distant look in his eyes and was clicking the lid of his pen as he stared out of the window onto the snowy mountains that surrounded them.

Seifer looked to Quistis, knowing she wouldn't like it if he stood and took over the meeting but wanting her to know that he was there for her. But to his surprise she sat down, indicating that he should be the one to continue.

He stood, noticing everyone's attention shift to him and pressed the link on his laptop to bring up the next screen on the wall.

"We need a team at the Island closest to heaven, but due to the new junctioning laws we need to find a new way to create a monster deterrent so that the team would be safe."

Rinoa perked up at this "I think I might be able to help there, Selphie and Laurie and I had been working on something similar before all of this started, I'm sure if we were able to combine our efforts with Dr. Odine it should be possible to make something that would work."

Both of her friends nodded in agreement, hoping for a chance to continue working together.

"We'd thought about that as well – plus there is the fact that the Island is close to Trabia and the other trigger should be here, so it would probably be best if you and Squall returned to Esthar."

The commander said nothing to this, simply nodding at the idea. So Seifer continued.

"The record searching needs to be continued here, but none of us need to stay. Laurie you said that your team knows what they're doing and they all passed the safety checks. You and Selphie will be needed in Esthar and Irvine too; you'll need a sniper with you in case anyone tracks you down."

Rinoa looked at Seifer carefully, knowing that there was more to it than just that. The three women could protect themselves well enough, two high level mages and a sorceress – even a pregnant one would not need a body guard and even if they did Squall would be with them…. But it crossed her mind that Seifer knew something he wasn't going to share. She just hoped she got to speak to him before they all went their separate ways.

"What about the Galbadian archives… and the person who is awakening these beings? There must be some way they found out about all of this" Squalls attention turned to her as if suddenly waking up.

"We should send in the normal translation team, but without saying what they are there for, that way we won't arouse any suspicion. Seifer and Quistis, you should return to Balamb and carry on with the plan – I'll talk to my father and see if anything unusual has been happening in any other part of the world." Squall stood and joined Seifer, who looked somewhat relieved to have his friend acting normal again.

"We should leave Trabia by the end of the week." The other man nodded, glad to have his commander back.

* * *

"Looks like this is goin ta take a while huh." Irvine said as he and Zell headed to the canteen in search of food.

"Yeah, doesn't seem like we have much of a choice though. I mean finding out how to access the Island safely is going to take long enough as it is." His friend told him, scratching the back of his blonde head.

Pushing the button on the side of the door to let them into the canteen Irvine sighed. "I don't like the idea that our lives have ta be put on hold indefinitely."

"You're not the only one, Squall didn't seem to be too happy about it, but at least in Esthar we'll be safe enough."

Irvine shrugged "I can understand how he's feelin, he wants this over with before the baby comes… thing is I can't help thinkin that it would be better if it happened afta, we might need Rinoa."

Zell looked at the sharpshooter carefully, considering the truth in his words. He was right of course, they would probably need the power she possessed he guessed that Rinoa knew it too, there had been something in her eyes at the meeting.

"This isn't going to be easy." Zell told him, reaching for the hotdogs on the hot plate in front of him. The two didn't say anymore on the subject. As if by not mentioning anything it wouldn't happen.

* * *

Rinoa had spent the better part of an hour searching the Garden for Seifer, having searched the inside she's retrieved her navy coloured corded long winter coat and headed outside, pulling the warm fur lined hood over her head. The white winged pattern on the back shone out like the snow and she knew that Seifer would recognise her if he saw her from a distance.

She had considered using her powers to track him, but she knew it was unfair and somehow wrong to use such a method unless in an emergency. This unfortunately did not count.

"Hey, princess!" she turned around to see him sat on the first story roof, it crossed her mind that he had actually climbed the building, but the more likely was he'd climbed out of the ballroom balcony to end up where he was.

"Hey Seifer, mind if I join you?" she asked, waited for what she guessed to be a nod and levitated herself up to sit on the roof at his side. He shuffled sideways a little to give her more room, but he made no effort to conceal what he held in his hands.

"Is it safe for you to fly like that when you're pregnant?" he asked, turning to her briefly before staring away again.

Rinoa rolled her eyes, sometimes she wondered why he and Squall weren't better friends they seemed to handle things in the same manner, although her husband was less impulsive than her friend.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, creating a small fire ball in front of her to warm them up. She had been more open about using her magic in public since Mages had been accepted by the world as safe users of spells… she just neglected to tell people she was actually a sorceress…not many people were happy with that idea yet.

"Would I have called you up here if I didn't?" he smiled, but still didn't look straight at her.

"Aw, I just thought you wanted to show me the view." Rinoa joked enjoying the brief banter before it turned serious.

"Here." He handed her the box, careful to avoid the fire ball in front of them. She could have made a joke about already being married but she knew this wasn't the time.

"When are you going to ask her?"

He shrugged, now turning to face her and pulling his black SeeD coat around his shoulders as if to shut out more of the cold.

"Right now I don't even know if I should."

"Don't tell me you're part of the ever growing group of 'lets put our lives on hold until this is all over' are you?" the sorceress remarked, looking at Seifer almost as if she was scolding him.

"That better be the hormones talking Rin." She rolled her eyes.

"Maybe." She answered, smiling at him. "But I really think you should ask her when you think its right for the two of you – don't rely on the events around you. I'm not saying get married in the middle of a battle…"

"I get your point, I just don't want to give Quistis more to worry about, there's still the issue of marriage, there's no guarantee that she wants to marry me. I get the feeling that she doesn't want to added pressure of formal commitment."

"Have you asked her?" Rinoa asked, rubbing her hands together and holding them near the ball of flame.

He laughed "You sound like Irvine." She wrinkled her forehead at this comment.

"You asked Irvine? I know someone very surprised that he would give advice on marriage." Seifer looked somewhat confused by this, but didn't ask the questions he wanted to, he tried to stay out of everyone's personal lives as much as he could.

"Yeah… but still, I don't know how to bring up the subject, she's so into her work – I don't even know if she seriously wants a family."

Rinoa looked into her lap, placing a hand on her stomach. "I can't give you any advice on that subject; as much as I love Quistis… it's not exactly something we've ever discussed."

"I think she knows that I do… I want my children to have the child hood I had for such a sort time, I want them to know their family… to grow up in a world without pain or war." He turned to his friend when he heard her sniffing back tears.

"Rin?"

But when she looked at him, he could see that she was smiling and shaking her head.

"I don't know why I'm crying." Sniff "I'm just so happy and sad all at the same time, happy that you want to marry her and sad about what happened to your family… I'm going to blame hormones here." Sniff "But Seifer, you are going to have to say something to her… she may want it just as much as you do but not know how to bring it up." She wiped away her tears and pulled her coat around her as if hugging herself.

"I don't…." but Rinoa shook her head and cut him off.

"There really isn't the time for buts here, you are only causing yourself unnecessary pain by not talking about it and I don't want to see you hurt." She stood then, handing him back the small box before extinguishing the fire ball. Her tears had stopped falling and she forced a smile. "You know where I am if you need to talk."

He nodded. "Thanks Rin."

* * *

"Are we going home mummy?" Alex asked as Laurie started to pack the little boys clothes away. Looking into his blue eyes she almost wanted to grant his request… but that would have to wait.

"No sweetie, we're going to stay with Uncle Squall's daddy for a while." He looked somewhat disappointed and his blonde head tipped down as he looked at the floor. Her heart went out to him, she remembered being his age and hating having to stay in hotels around the world when her father was on business.

"What mummy isn't telling you is that Esthar has a giant playground that President Laguna built and a big swimming pool with lots of fun slides to go on." Zell added, no one had heard him come in as he was supposed to be in the training centre for the next few hours.

He smiled when he saw his little boy light up and giggle as he picked him up and spun him around in the air. Laurie laughed, putting the last of the packing into the suitcase before walking over to join two of the most important men in her life; the other was down for his afternoon nap with his sister.

Both held out their arms to her, Alex sat on his fathers hip as he did, holding them both close she whispered into her husbands ear.

"Thank you." And she snuggled against his neck.

He laughed "You might change your mind when he wakes you up at five in the morning to go to the park." He replied, happy to bring a change of mood to his family. Their move to Esthar was going to change a lot and by the sounds of it would be a long term thing… or so he was starting to hope. In the world at that time Esthar was a safe haven – he just hoped it would stay that way.

* * *

As always comments welcome.


	11. Questions

Disclaimer: I do not own final fantasy VIII it is the property of Squarenix. This story has been written purely for entertainment value and no money has or will exchange hands. All original characters and storylines belong to me. Thankyou.

Note: I apologise for the delay for this chapter but my work load of late has been somewhat hectic.

* * *

The Chapter 11: Questions.

The warmth of Esthar was a startling comparison to the cold of Trabia, especially in the presidential gardens where the group had taken up residence that afternoon. Luckily for them there was also a large pool with a cooler feel to the water.

Rinoa was sat reading the latest report from the translation team on one of the beach lounges, her costume no longer fitted her as her pregnancy had started to show and her new one wouldn't be ready for a couple of days. She could see Selphie splashing around in the pool with Alex, whilst Zell and Laurie introduced the twins to the water in the shallow end. It was clear that Maria took to it better than her brother from the look of glee on her face.

She was somewhat bored; Squall and Irvine were off scouting the area outside the city for monsters. There was no training centre in Esthar so she guessed it made sense… it was just that she had wanted him to relax with her for a bit. He'd seemed s uneasy lately.

"Hey Rinoa, mind if I join you?" the president startled her out of her reverie and she turned to him smiling.

"Of course." She smiled and put down the report on the table next to her. He sat down on the other beach lounger across from her; he seemed to have something in the gift bag he was carrying.

"Have they managed to find anything more?" he gestured towards the report before running his free hand through his silver flecked ebony hair.

The sorceress shook her head, "Nothing. Just historical records about events we already knew took place. They're leaving Trabia tomorrow so hopefully they'll be able to find out more from Galbadia." She explained sounding a little down hearted.

"So they've finally got permission then?"

"Yeah – Seifer pulled some strings and secured the visit… but it turns out that Galbadia has more of the ancient records than we thought. It' going to take at least twice as long as the Trabia visit… but Quistis puts the estimate closer to two months due to the amount of work needed to compare the records." She sighed, casting a harmless ice spell into the air around her.

Laguna marvelled at her skilled use of magic, knowing it hadn't always been that way. There had been times in the first few months after Ultimicias defeat that he'd heard about her loss of control when angry or scared it seemed all vases and chairs in the vicinity faced an imminent death. Now though, she seemed calm and collected using her powers with effortless ease.

"Squall mentioned something about that this morning, he didn't seem too pleased." He was in two minds as to talk to Rinoa about his fears over his sons behaviour but thought it best not to worry her more than he needed to.

"None of us are, we just want this over with… but having said that I think we need all the time we can get to prepare for this. It's not the most powerful creature we have ever fought or to threaten our word but it's the not knowing how to defeat it that makes this scary." She sighed again. "It's interrupting our lives and disrupting a peace we've just learned to enjoy."

The president smiled kindly, "I know that I can't help you much with the research that needs to be done – or the fighting, but you know the Estarian army will be at your disposal if you need it. The council of governors agreed to it this morning."

"They'll do that?" Rinoa asked, surprised that they would be so willing. Despite the changes over the past few years in some ways Esthar was still as reluctant to work with other nations or people. Their military was particularly resistant to change.

"Yeah, well Seifer briefed them over a secure channel and that seemed to change their minds." Then before she could ask any further questions he changed the subject.

"I've been thinking that you're probably going to need something to distract yourself for the next few months and well…. Myself and Ellone came up with this." he handed her the gift bag he was carrying.

The sorceress sat up and took the gift fro his out stretched hand. Peering in side she could see a binded book covered in white paper with flecks of blue and pink. She took a glance at Laguna before reaching inside.

The book was beautiful, with a small picture of a sleeping baby chocobo on the front cover there was space at the top for a name to be added and the binder had the words 'baby book' written in lavish gold.

Rinoa smiled "Thank you so much, it's beautiful." Laguna shrugged his shoulder in a relaxed kind of way.

"It's only something small, I remembered about the one that Squall had made when he was little and thought your child should have one as well… you should open the first few pages. I hope you don't mind but we added a few things already."

Rinoa had already started to open the book. The first page had a photo of her and Squall on their wedding day on the beach near Edeas orphanage. The second was the group photograph they had had taken shortly before she had discovered she was pregnant. Seifer was smiling happily holding Quistis, then Squall and her, Selphie was next wearing Irvine's hat with his hand around her waist and Laurie and Zell were on the other end. The photo had been taken on their trip to the festival of spring in Esthar.

The page also had a photo of Laguna and Ellone, under the heading of Granddad and Aunty. Rinoa chuckled and then flipped back to see the photo of her friends and realised they too had been denoted Uncles and Aunties as well. Cid and Edea were also in there but the ones that surprised her were on the next page, two pictures stood out of the four on the page. One was her mother and father on their wedding day, the other was of Raine and Laguna.

Touching the photograph of her mother it suddenly hit her just how much she would miss her being around to help her with parenting things. Then came the pain from her father's treatment of the news she was pregnant. Taking a sharp breath she pushed back the tears.

"It's wonderful, thank you." She told him, hugging the book to her chest.

* * *

Seifer stood out side the door of Quistis and Xus office, he knew that the latter was currently teaching a class and so wouldn't have to worry about finding an excuse to get Quistis alone. Despite this, he didn't seem able to step inside.

His morning had been spent practicing what he was going to say to her:

_Quistis, I want to take our relationship one step further, I want to marry you, have a family with you and spend the rest of my life knowing I'm never going to need or want anything else because I have you by my side. Will you, Quistis Trepe marry me?_

He ran the words over and over in his mind, aware that perhaps they were alittle on the soppy side but not knowing another way and checked his jacket pocket for the velvet box, hoping she would say yes. Seifer couldn't help but be reminded that their relationship had started this way, him standing outside her door not knowing whether to go inside or not.

"Just get it over with." He muttered to himself and knocked, louder than he would have liked to, on the door.

"Come in." she called sounding distracted, which he reasoned was probably true. Her workload had increase somewhat and she seemed determined to keep on top of it. She really needed to relax… they could really have done with that holiday.

So taking a deep breath he walked in.

* * *

"If you keep goin on like that Squall they'll be no monsters left to fight." Irvine commented, wiping the last of the deserts dust from his over coat and re holstering Exeter.

"Exactly."

The sharpshooter looks confused by this and he questioned him as they approached the out skirts of the city.

"What's gotten into you?"

He took a few moments to reply as he gathered his thoughts.

"Because then maybe I'll be strong enough." His voice was calm and steady but Irvine could tell there was something else going on. He knew that Squall had been overly concerned with Rinoa being pregnant at the same time that this was taking place but this seemed slightly out of character.

For the second time since this had started he found himself offering his confidence to another of his friends, it was an unusual development but he liked it.

"You know that the best fighters in SeeD and the Mage divisions are training as we speak, this ain't a battle we are goin to be fightin alone."

The commander turned to the sharp shooter as he reached the top of the stairs. There was no comment from him on the subject, not even as they walked through the city centre. But as they reached the front of the palace he spoke.

"It doesn't matter, I'm her Knight – I'm the one she turns to… I'm the one who's supposed to protect her. Not the other way around." His tone was firm and determined… but also a little sad.

Irvine sighed… he should have guessed that it would be something linked to their battle that started all of this. None of them had really spoken about it, himself included – despite Selphies best efforts. There had been something so unsettling about being that close to death that silenced the subject.

"I think that it goes both ways." He told him, leaning against the flower border of the entrance.

"What do you mean?" Squall asked, a lot more standoffish that Irvine had been used to in recent years. He was staring at the ground pacing the small area infront of where the sharpshooter was.

"I mean that I don't think Rinoa or any of the rest of us see it in the way that you do. Sure I know that you're her Knight and you're there to keep her grounded and going out of control. But in a battle or any other situation, she feels the same way you do – that her powers mean _she_ should be able to protect _us_."

"She hasn't said anything." Squall commented, finally standing still.

"Why would she? She's probably far too worried about getting everything sorted out for the baby… and you I would imagine."

The commander's eyes flashed to Irvines in surprise.

"She hides it pretty well when you're around, but she's concerned about you... ever since that fight you've seemed preoccupied. I figure that she's trying to pretend everything is fine with her so that you won't worry so much. But it's not working; I think you need to tell her whatever it is that's on your mind."

"I don't know how to tell her… I don't want to scare her." But his friend shrugged.

"You won't, might even make her feel better if you're honest with her about this. We're all afraid of what lies ahead, it's why we train to fight it."

"Yeah… well maybe after dinner I'll say something. We should get inside."

* * *

She was busy typing her latest report when he walked in, smiling in greeting she stopped her work to see why he'd come to visit. He'd already sent her the report about the Estarian army a while ago.

"You busy?" he asked, scratching the back of his head and looking decidedly nervous, well for Seifer at least.

She laughed. "That's a rather stupid question. I'm in over my head."

"That's okay then, I only came in for a bit of a chat." _Liar_.

Quistis was by no means convinced by this and she stood from her chair to sit on the edge of the desk in front of him.

"I can spare a few minutes, I'm sorting out the briefings for the teams but it's not exactly hard, just time consuming." There was a fine line between working hard and working too hard, the latter usually resulted in the loss of those close to you. Quistis wanted to avoid that, which is why was giving her time to him.

"Right, well… I've been thinking recently, before all of this started." He took a deep breath, wondering if this had been so hard for Zell and Squall.

"Are you ok?" Quistis asked, frowning slightly. Seifer hardly ever acted like this and usually only when she was around.

"There have been so many changes over the past few years." He carried on as if ignoring her comment and started to pace the room. "But we've managed to get through all of that – and I know we can get through this too."

She walked towards him and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him to face her.

"Seifer, what's going on here?" she asked and her concerned words stopped him dead. He just stared at her. Taking in her beautiful consuming eyes and the way the suns rays bounced off her silky golden hair. She was radiant, more than he deserved but everything he'd ever wanted.

"Marry me." He whispered, watching her eyes widen and he soft lips part as she breathed the words she spoke.

"What?"

"Marry me."

* * *

I know that's something of a cliff hanger but I'll try to update as soon as I can.

Constructive criticism and reviews welcome.


	12. Answers

Disclaimer: I do not own final fantasy VIII it is the property of Squarenix. This story has been written purely for entertainment value and no money has or will exchange hands. All original characters and storylines belong to me. Thank you.

Note: this should make up for the cliff-hanger at the end of the last chapter.

* * *

Chapter 12 Answers.

The words echoed in her mind, consuming her train of thought. This had possibly been the last thing she expected from him… _marriage? At a time like this?_

"Why?" she uttered, still in shock she couldn't help but stare at him.

"Because I want to spend my life with you." His carefully planned speeches flew from his head as the sweetest torture he had ever experienced took hold.

"Why now?" the questions were the only viable thoughts in Quistis's head everything else was a blur.

"Because the 'now' we can't control, you know what Odin said. This threat isn't as big as the one Ultimicia posed and we can stop it… 'Warriors of light remember'?" she nodded slowly and he continued. "Marriage has been on my mind for a long time - I just didn't know how to approach it. But it shouldn't matter that I'm asking now. I plan on being here after all this is done and I want you to be with me."

"Seifer I…" she looked away, taking hold of his hands on hers. " I never considered that you wanted to get married so I've never really thought about it."

"I didn't know that I wanted to either, it just happened and it feels right Quistis… but if you need time…"

She looked at him again nervous and excited all at once.

"I do… I need to think about this. Can you give me some space for a while?" she asked, knowing that her work would have to wait – there was no way she would be able to concentrate on it anyway.

"S-s –sure, I'll be around if you… yeah." And he released himself from her grip and sauntered out of the door heading straight for the training centre. _The only kind of therapy that would help.

* * *

_

Selphie had returned to the apartment she and Irvine had been given for their time there, she'd just gotten back from the poolside exhausted after playing with Alex for most of the day.

She'd managed to relaxfor a few minutes, knowing that Irvine would be home soon and they'd have to get ready for the dinner Laguna was organising for them and she wouldn't get a chance to lie down for several hours.

But the Video phone had started to ring loudly, someone clearly did not want her to get the rest she needed.

"Leave me alone." She shouted at it, knowing that it wouldn't do any good, she considered holding a cushion over her ears but she knew that wouldn't help either. Giving up Selphie walked over to the panel and pressed the receive button, sinking down into the chair in front.

"Hey Quistis." She tried to smile without giving away how tired she was. "How's everything back in Balamb?"

Her blonde friend smiled somewhat uneasily.

"The preparations are going along nicely and the cadet and SeeD units are improving with the new training program… and ahh… Seifer asked me to marry him." At the last few words her face turned scarlet and Selphie, who had only been half paying attention up until that point sat up straight in her chair.

"He did? Wow." She was taken aback. "I didn't expect that."

"Neither did I." Quistis told her honestly. "And now I don't know what I'm supposed to do about it."

"So I take it you haven't given him an answer yet then." Selphie commented, part of her feeling a little jealous about the impending news of another friends wedding.

"No and I don't know what I'm going to say, it's so unexpected and with everything that's going on I don't know if I can give him an honest answer."

Selphie didn't really know what she was supposed to say to that, what advice could she offer? And that was clearly what her friend was asking her for, perhaps that was why Quistis had chosen to speak to her – someone who would at least see it from her point of view as someone not yet married. She suspected there were other reasons as well; Zell, Laurie and Rinoa had expressed interests in marriage before they had been engaged and it had been evident to all that Squall would eventually marry Rinoa. He wouldn't have let her inside his heart and his life if he hadn't meant to.

But despite not having mentioned wanting to be married to anyone other than two of her closest friends she knew had Irvine proposed to her she wouldn't have hesitated. She appeared content with living with Irvine so as not to scare him into something he clearly wasn't ready for yet.

"I don't see as what's going on at the moment should alter your decision – aside from the fact that you work too hard, but unless he mentioned marriage straight away I doubt it'll interfere with your work." Quistis appeared to accept this comment and gave a small nod.

"I just… I never thought Seifer would want to marry anyone, I'd accepted that when we moved in together."

"So I take it you've never spoke about it at all then, even just in passing?" again her blonde friend shook her head. "How about children?"

"Every now and again it comes up." Her voice was quiet and somewhat wistful in the memories. "But I've always thought of that as something in the distance and I never really associated it too much with marriage."

Selphie was unsure of how direct she was allowed to be on this matter.

"Quissy can I be honest?" she asked.

"Sure."

"If you're considering having children with him surely that means you've already committed for life – you do live together and you say you accepted that to be it for the two of you..." She was careful with her words, not wanting to go too far and unsure of her friend's views on marriage. "This might not be helping you-"

"No, I think it is." Quistis cut her off. "I've never thought about being with anyone other than Seifer. I've never seen an end to us; I just didn't see marriage as a possibility… I have to go Selphie – thank you."

"No problem, good luck." And her friend was gone leaving the brunette to the quiet lie down she'd wanted in the first place. Although for some reason she couldn't get the conversation out of her mind, was she expecting marriage because everyone else was getting there? Or did she truly want to walk up the isle with Irvine, was she even ready?

* * *

Dinner had passed peacefully between the friends and family in the main part of the presidential palace. Laguna seemed happy to have them all together and spent most of the time watching the conversations around him rather than joining in.

He noticed that his sons mood seemed lighter and he laughed with his friends more than he had since they had arrived in Esthar. It was Selphie that appeared less like herself and the brunette was somewhat quiet, both Rinoa and Laurie had tried to coax whatever was wrong out of her but it seemed she was keeping her silence.

"President Laguna, there's a confidential communication waiting for you in you office sir." One of the aids that been stood by the door for most of the meal told him, being careful to whisper close to his ear.

"Is it possible to return the call?" he asked, not really wanting to leave the scene before him just yet.

The aid shook his head.

"It would appear not sir. It seems somewhat urgent."

So sighing Laguna stood.

"Ah, sorry everyone but it seems I have some 'confidential business' to attend to, I'll be back as soon as he can." He looked somewhat annoyed at the prospect of his work interrupting his quiet time.

"That's okay; we'll probably be here for a while anyway." Rinoa told him, being the one to sit on his right hand side and Squall nodded his support along with everyone else.

Ellone was absent from the evening meal, she had complained of a headache earlier in the day and was in her room resting. He made a mental note to check on her on his return to the main room.

* * *

"Squall, I know we all said we'd wait but the children are getting restless. Do you think it would be okay if we head back to our apartment?" Laurie asked, coming over to their side of the table.

"I'm sure it'll be fine, Laguna wouldn't want you to put yourself out. He'll see you tomorrow anyway, escorting you to Dr. Odines lab."

She smiled in thanks. "Good night everyone." She told them all as she picked up the twins in their carrier and Zell lead a very sleepy Alex out of the room.

The four remaining friends stayed for another twenty minutes before another of the attendants came into the room to tell them that the president would not be returning that evening and advised them to retire to their rooms.

"I think we'll head off then." Selphie said as she and Irvine stood to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow Rinny – bright and relatively early."

"Sure, good night you two." And Rinoa, now standing took her friend into a hug, the brunette held her tighter than she was expected and returning the pressure she whispered. "Meet me half an hour early; we can go for coffee or something."

"Sounds great." Selphie, forcing a smile told her best friend. "I'll see you then." And she took the hand Irvine offered her and headed out of the room.

"Is everything okay with Selphie?" Squall asked when they had been left alone.

"I don't know, it's been a while since I've seen her like that." She told him, walking to the balcony doors that, like most other rooms in the palace opened up onto a large decked area with beautifully designed metal fencing that swirled and twisted in hues of copper and silver.

Squall followed her, knowing what he had to say.

"Rin?" he started, earning her attention.

"Yeah?" she seemed mellow and peaceful and it eased nerves that tightened inside him.

"I'm sorry if I've been distant lately." She looked at him but didn't speak, knowing he wanted to finish without interruption. "There's just been a lot on my mind and I haven't wanted to worry you more than you have been." He paused, "I'm not as strong as I was before and I... I need to be Rin… but it's taking more time than I thought."

When it was clear that he had stopped Rinoa spoke.

"This is why you've spent all your free time training."

He nodded.

"I want to be able protect you and the baby and since the battle I haven't felt… I haven't felt like someone worthy of your Knight."

They were stood a little way out onto the balcony and the warm desert breeze moved their hair about gently. Rinoa had a somewhat odd expression on her face and she leaned over to place her hand on her husband's cheek.

"Squall, you could never be unworthy… I don't always need you to be my warrior; I can take care of myself." She told him with a smile. "I need you to be here, with me, with us." Giving a small nod down to her stomach.

He couldn't speak, simply looked at her with glassy eyes. Pulling her into his arms Squall breathed deeply, taking in the scent of her, the feel of her. He felt overwhelmed with too many emotions and a deep relief. There was no telling how long it would last but for the time being it was exactly what he needed.

* * *

Quistis had moved steadily through Balamb Garden, but she didn't seem to get there fast enough for her liking. She could have run the distance but didn't want to attract unnecessary attention form cadets and students alike. Holding onto 'Save the Queen' she made her way through the easier section of the training centre, aware that Seifer would be towards the back of the harder area.

"Seifer." She called when she saw him finishing off a T-rex, hyperons blade flashing red as flame ran along its edge. The same fire she saw in his eyes when he turned to her, burning and all consuming for a moment she was stopped in her tracks, caught in his eyes and the passion she saw there.

Slowly she found her feet again and crossed the grassy undergrowth to stand close to him. He didn't speak, just waited afraid of the words that would spill from his mouth and the conclusions he was already jumping to.

"You surprised me back there." She started, not meeting his eyes "You could have given me some warning, mentioned it at one point or another." Quistis took tentative steps towards him, raising her eyes to hers. "I love you Seifer Almasy, I knew along time ago that these feelings were here to stay and until you mentioned it I'd never considered marriage."

"I don't understand, are you saying that you don't want to marry me?" silence rang through the air for a few moments before she gave her careful reply.

"I'm saying that I want to be with you for the rest of my life, I'm saying yes Seifer – I will marry you."

His face flashed from despair to joy as he took in her words, reaching for her he pulled Quistis towards him and rubbed his nose with hers. She smiled, moving in for a long meaningful kiss and enjoying the feeling of his hands running through her hair.

"We should go somewhere else." He whispered as he turned his attention to her neck and collar bone.

"In Garden or the World?" Quistis asked as he leaned her against the remains of a once grand tree.

"One at a time." He replied and she laughed softly, work would wait. This would not.

* * *

"Thank you, I understand. I'll pass on the information to the relevant parties." Laguna told the man on the other end of the screen, one he often wished he could avoid but politics made that very difficult.

Kiros had joined him some time ago and shared a knowing look with his friend.

"It could have been a lot worse." He told the president.

"I know, I just didn't want to have to be the one to tell them."

"Which part?"

Laguna gave a hollow laugh, "All of it, he's got some nerve to use me as the middle man. It could have been worse, it could have involved the current 'situation' but –"

"Personal issues always hurt a lot more." Kiros interrupted.

"Yeah… I'll talk to them tomorrow; I'm going to check on Ellone. G'night Kiros."

* * *

Reviews and constructive criticism are very much welcome. 


	13. The Way Forward

Disclaimer: I do not own final fantasy VIII it is the property of Squarenix. This story has been written purely for entertainment value and no money has or will exchange hands. All original characters and storylines belong to me. Thank you.

Author note: I apologise for the huge delay on this chapter, things have been a little hectic on my end this year so far and it's only recently I've started to get back into my writing again. (Ironically I'm in the middle of exam season at university so most of my writing is being done late at night when the revision is done). I Hope people haven't lost interest in this story as your support means a lot to me.

Arami.

* * *

Chapter 13: The way forward

As luck would have it Rinoa had already left before Laguna reached their apartment the next morning. Squall was there though and he welcomed his father in, offering a late breakfast which his father gratefully accepted. He had been too nervous to eat anything before hand but now that it seemed to just him and his son, Laguna relaxed.

"I'm sorry about last night." He told the younger man, taking a large gulp of orange juice.

"That's okay, we realised something must have happened to keep you for so long." He paused, noticing the nervous look on his fathers face. "What was the call about?"

"It's more of a who than a what."

"Oh."

"The call was from General Caraway." Squalls face seemed to turn almost white and his normally guarded eyes held a question, one Laguna was happy enough to answer; if only for the sake of getting it over and done with. "He received the letter and thanks you for your correspondence. However he has no wish to have anymore contact with you or Rinoa than he does at the present time."

"Did he say why?" the Commander managed to ask, his throat suddenly very dry.

"He feels that since his daughter left to be with you she has become an entirely different person, someone completely unrecognisable from the little girl he brought up." Laguna paused "He does, however wish to know when his grandchild is born and requests that he be allowed to send cards and gifts to the child." Laguna regarded his son carefully, trying to get some kind of clue as to how he was dealing with the news. He found nothing other than confusion so simply waited for his son to speak.

"Did he say anything else?" Squalls voice was calm at least.

"He said that he would like it known that none of this will affect his working relationship with Garden and Esthar. That was all."

Swearing under his breath, Squall looked to his father. "I don't know how I'm going to tell her. It doesn't make any real sense. He's making no attempt to fix his relationship with Rinoa but still wants contact with our child? What does he think that will achieve?" frustration had crept into his tone and Laguna sighed, he really hated being the messenger.

"I'll never understand the actions of a man who wants practically nothing to do with his children, especially when that child has done nothing wrong. But I would say that wanting to know his grandchild is a step in the right direction, it's up to you and Rinoa to give him that contact though."

"Yeah… I know. It's going to be hard on her, dad; I don't want her to suffer anymore heartbreak. She's been hoping for years that her and General Caraway can fix their relationship and now he goes and says this…"

Laguna reached a hand and placed is reassuringly on his sons shoulder. "I'm here for you both; whatever you need come and find me."

Squall gave a small appreciative smile. "Thanks dad. But I think you're doing more than enough already."

* * *

Selphie blew lightly over her steaming mocachino holding the cardboard cup in both hands. Mornings were cold in the desert city and sat there in her small denim skirt and embroidered yellow top she needed all the heat she could extract from the sides of the cup.

Rinoa followed her over to the small table in the café, about a five minute walk from the research lab. It seemed scientists needed a lot of coffee as most of the early morning customers were dressed in long white lab coats.

"Did you not have time to grab breakfast before you met me?" the brunette questioned, noticing the pastry on the plate Rinoa carried along with her caffeine free tea.

She chuckled. "Yeah… but this whole eating for two thing…."

"And pastries are the way to do that?" Selphie settled her drink down on the table in front of them moving over so her friend could join her on the curved sofa.

"Yes." Rinoa told her with a smile as she took a seat, careful not to catch her black silken skirt on the sharp edge of the table as she did.

"Cravings?" Selphie suggested.

"Something like that yeah, this one seems to like them anyway." The raven haired women commented, patting her small but growing bump affectionately.

Selphie returned to her mocha and for a few minutes neither of them spoke, but after Rinoa had finished off the custard swirl she turned to her friend.

"Sephy, what's going on?"

Deciding that hiding from the question was a useless and a waste of both their time the brunette let it all pour out. "I've been thinking about what you and Laurie told me the other day and I tried to talk to Irvine about it, but he doesn't think we're ready, living together is enough for him. Marriage is always a 'someday' kind of conversation." She bit her quivering lip in the hope of avoiding tears.

Rinoa moved closer and pulled Selphie into a hug.

"Did you tell him directly or just bring it up?" pulling back to arms length Rinoa smoothed out the brunettes ruffled hair.

"I couldn't work up the nerve to tell him directly… I just hinted at it. But he just smiled at me and said we're not mature enough to have a family… is that the way I come across to everyone? Like a giddy child not ready to grow up?" there was pleasing in her green eyes, but it wasn't reassurance she was seeking, it was the truth.

"Selphie anyone who believes that just because you like to enjoy the lighter side of life means you can't be mature clearly doesn't know you." Rinoa told her, meeting her eyes directly. "You don't made S class SeeD being immature…. Not that that's my only basis; you've been there for me and the others when we've needed you and you handle whatever is thrown at you." She sighed. "Sephy ever thought that it's not your readiness being questioned here."

"Irvine?" she asked tentatively, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah; he's already changed a lot since being with you, I knew of his reputation during his time at Galbadia… but it might be that marriage would leave him feeling somewhat trapped – not that he would be." Rinoa sighed looking at the confused stare Selphie was fixing her with. "I don't think I'm explaining this very well am I?"

Shaking her head her friend answered. "No, but I still think I understand what you're getting at. The way things are he still kinda thinks he has a way out but if he were to marry that would be gone. Regardless of the fact that he won't leave me, he always wants the option that he could to be there."

"Yeah, pretty much." Rinoa reached her arms out to Selphie again. "It might just take some time but he'll get there. It's more in his head than anything else."

"Rin! Sephy!" Turning towards the voice they could see Laurie waving to them as she approached. Regarding her two friends carefully she already knew what their conversation had been about. "We're supposed to meet Laguna in five minutes for our passes and everything."

Grabbing what was left of their drinks the two women stood up an headed towards the meeting point – although already being close enough to the lab already it seemed slightly pointless to backtrack.

"To be honest I'd forgotten all about it." Selphie commented, downing the last of her coffee and throwing it in the trash can they approached.

"You weren't the only one." Rinoa pointed out as Laguna came into view running as fast as his limp would allow.

* * *

She'd never been much of a fan of the water and as such rarely visited the pool. But having just received the latest translation news from Galbadia Quistis wanted to talk to Seifer about it before relaying the information to their friends in Esthar.

He was making his way from one end of the pool to the other executing breast stroke perfectly as he did so. She sat on the pool side, slipping off her office shoes and letting the water lap gently at her feet.

The area was enclosed on all sides with a reinforced glass roof, but the sun had set hours ago and white lamplight lit the area, wiping out the stars above them. Watching his as she sat there Quistis marvelled at his speed and elegance in the water as he moved seamlessly through the crystal water.

Noticing her as he finished his lap and resurfaced for air Seifer swam towards her trying to judge the look on her face. She appeared somewhat pensive but brightened a little when he reached her, holding onto the hand rail to steady himself.

"Everything ok?" he asked releasing the bar and running both hands over his face and through his hair removing the excess water in the process.

"Not sure." she shrugged. "We received the report from Galbadia; the translation team had some bad news."

"Go on." Seifer prompted.

"Some of the pages in the more important texts have either been tampered with or replaced all together. They've sent us copies and I've sent some to the library to see if they belong to books we already have or can get hold of… but it doesn't look like we'll be able to find them."

"Do we know who did it?"

"Not at the moment, no SeeDs or Cadets have been acting unusual – at least according to the headmaster there and security is looking over the security tapes. They're also starting to ask about why we're even interested in the records."

He sighed, pulling himself out of the water and settled himself next to Quistis, leaving a little distance so as not to soak her.

"It might be time we told them – at least the headmaster, if it was someone related to Galbadia Garden we'll need their help." But he didn't sound overly happy about the idea. The Gardens political links with Deiling city and General Caraway meant contact was avoided unless absolutely necessary.

"We'll have to talk to Squall first – he's still the commander of Balamb and it's up to him how we handle it."

He nodded. "At least we're starting to get somewhere, I know it's not the best news but we need to find out who started this, the sooner we do the sooner this is finished." Standing he reached his hand down to hers. "I'm gonna take a shower, I'll meet you in the office in half an hour."

"Sure." And she leaned over, planting a kiss on his cheek before watching him walk to the shower area before leaving herself. There had been a time when she would have followed him, but the seriousness of the situation stopped her from doing so, walking out she glanced at the sparkling engagement ring on her left hand and she smiled, allowing herself to imagine a time when this would be over and they could carry on properly with their lives.

* * *

"_Beneath the place where tears point lies the trigger buried underneath the skies. A forgotten path, a locked down door. Find the place before they explore."_

Ellone woke from slumber with a start, wide eyes darting around the room for the source of the voice but in the hazy early morning sunlight of the her room there was no one to be seen.

It didn't matter; part of her had already known where the voice had come from, others could walk in her dreams just as easily as she could theirs. It was all part of her powers and abilities - Not a sorceress but something equally as powerful. _Which was why he had chosen to speak to me. _She reasoned with herself, sliding her legs off the bed and pulling on her night gown. Knowing that she needed to tell someone what she had seen and been told before it escaped her mind.

* * *

I know it's a little short but updates should be longer from now on, I know where this story is going now so it should move quickly. As always any reviews, comments, constructive criticism is very much appreciated. Thanks for reading. 


	14. Hidden in plain sight

Disclaimer: I do not own final fantasy VIII it is the property of Square enix. This story has been written purely for entertainment value and no money has or will exchange hands. All original characters and storylines belong to me. Thank you.

Author Note: Once again sorry for the wait – I had two entries for writing contests to complete before the deadline and another piece I had to finish in the meantime; I've been pretty busy lately. Haven't had time to send this to my beta reader either but I've tried to fix all mistakes as best I can. Thanks especially to Ste-raw and Vilqoui for continuing to read and review :D

* * *

Chapter 14: Hidden in plain sight

Seifer had made his way to Quistis' office, hair still damp and dressed in more casual attire than he would have normally, baggy grey Tee and black slacks. Walking through the automatic door into his fiance's office Seifer greeted her with a small smile and a brief hug before settling down in front of the communication screen.

Quistis stood back out of the way but he reached his hand out to her's.

"You should be here for this, it's about time Squall and I let you know what we have planned." he told her and she nodded taking the seat at his side.

When the screen engaged they could see Squall looking decidedly exhausted on the other end, his face shadowed by the brilliant full moon behind him.

"Seifer? Quistis? Is everything okay?" He asked, Dark bangs falling into his eyes as he tried to push them away.

"Sorry to bother you so late but Quistis received some news from Galbadia Gardens translators - someones been altering the old documents and in some cases replacing them." Inwardly Seifer winced at the look on the Commanders face but he didn't let it show - they had a job to do.

"Quistis?"

"Several of the books and other documents have been affected, in some cases they are ones we had already... but it looks as though someone has infiltrated their secret library. The question is do we request Galbadia's help and let them know what we know? Or do we find some other way?"

The two men shared a knowing look and Seifer nodded. It was time.

"You do both. Inform their Commander of what you have discovered - he can be trusted - but advise him to be careful which of his staff he informs... and send a team in, I suggest Witters, Mathews, Eagles, Rosenhart and any others you think are capable and have the skills to complete the mission."

"What mission?"

"Infiltration of Galbadia Garden, of course the headmaster will know but no one else, they will simply look like Seeds who have transferred." Seifer explained to her but she looked uneasy.

"Relations with the Garden are difficult enough as it is - won't this just make everything much worse?"

"I don't know, but it might be the only way we stand a chance of stopping this, it's not the fastest solution but something must have happened within that Garden." Squall told her, clearly pensive about the idea as well but as Commander it was his decision they both had to follow.

"I'll prepare a team in the morning, including those you suggested that will be able to do the job."

Squall nodded. "I'll contact the headmaster first thing. Good night Seifer, Quistis, keep me informed."

"Will do." Seifer added before disconnecting the link and turning to the worried blonde woman at his side.

"But there has been no sign of a cover up - there is no evidence that anyone at the Garden is involved, the research team checked. No one has gone missing, been expelled... Nothing."

"That could just mean it's been covered up." he sighed "This is the only way."

"But it's going to take months!" She raised her voice slightly and Seifer moved to put his arms around her.

"It was going to anyway, Rin and the others are still working on a safe way to get to the Island closest to heaven and no one knows where the activation switch is anyway."

"Seifer..." She whispered, indicating he wasn't doing much to relax her.

"My point is it was always going to take time and the research team aren't exactly going to stop looking for the information. Come on, let's head into the town, some of the restaurants should still be open now." He soothed, bringing her to stand with him and pulling her tight against him for a moment. "I love you Quis, you just have to trust me on this one."

She sighed and leaned into his warmth. "I do... it's just waiting makes me nervous."

He planted soft kisses into her sweet smelling hair before moving apart and taking her hand in the hopes of distracting her train of thought with a somewhat romantic evening. He knew in the back of his mind that over the coming months he would be doing this more often than not.

* * *

Selphie, unable to sleep as confusing thoughts whirred through her mind, had decided that maybe a walk through out the palace would do her some good. It was certainly peaceful enough and there were moments when she forgot enough of what was going on to enjoy the beauty of the palace and the city it's self.

But those moments were all too fleeting and she was starting to give up on a good nights sleep all together.

A noise further down the corridor caught her attention and she heard rushed footsteps coming towards her current position, curious as to who else would be awake at such an hour in the morning she moved in the direction of whoever it was.

"Ellone?" she questionned as the dark haired woman practically fell onto her as she met her half way down the corridor towards the main residential quarters. Supporting her friend as best she could Selphie sat her down on one of the many chairs that lined this particular part of the corridor.

"Paper." She demanded, eyes boring into the brunette at her side "And pen."

Selphie darted towards the small table at the other side of corridor grabbing the small elegant note book and pen that rested upon it, nearly knocking off a small vase in the process.

"Okay, what is it you need me to write down."

Ellone spoke quickly as if the information was flowing away from her mind with each passing syllable and Selphie put pen to paper just as quickly – years of lectures and meeting meant she could do it without a second thought.

It wasn't until she read it twice that the meaning of the words properly sank in.

"The second trigger…. Ellone Odin told you the location of the second trigger; we have to wake the others."

* * *

At 6am the following morning Squall, Rinoa, Selphie, Irvine, Zell, Laurie and Ellone met for an emergency meeting, Laguna had made sure the room was secure and that they wouldn't be disturbed unless Quistis and Seifer contacted them again.

Rinoa spoke for the first time in several minutes, the silence in the room becoming almost deafening and she could sense the unease and panic underlying her friend's calm exteriors. Squall most of all and she reached to take hold of his hand, lacing her fingers through is and squeezing reassuringly.

"We know now where the second switch is – even if we don't know who is trying to get to it yet. There's also nothing to say whoever this person is – or are know about the second switch, Odin told Ellone because he was running out of time."

Squall simply nodded, they all knew the plan relating to Galbadia already, what they had yet to decide was what to do about? Lunar point?

"Laguna has already positioned heavy guard around that and all other facilities in Esthar. I'll speak to Seifer later on today and request another team here for back up and investigation – Zell and Irvine I expect both of you to bring them up to speed." Squall told them, looking to each man and receiving a nod in response.

He sighed, running his hand through his dishevelled hair. The previous night had brought him no rest as everything ran through his mind endlessly, he wondered if he would be able to keep calm for the remainder of their wait… it seemed their child would likely be born before then and he wished he could be like any other expectant father. Squall wanted to worry about nappies and sleepless nights instead of another threat to the world's safety.

"Squall?" Laurie asked and he turned to notice her stood on the other side of the room, embarrassed by his lack of concentration he turned to her.

"Sorry, could you repeat that?"

A look of something flashed across her face but she didn't question him, instead just recited what she had said a few moments before.

"In our work with Doctor Odine it has become clear that there isn't any specific type of magic spell that we can use to repel enemies that live on either of the Islands. But we do think we can use something similar to that of a Shell or protect stone." She smiled at this, clearly enthused by their own discovery and bounced slightly on the balls of her feet. "Selphie?" she motioned for her friend to continue and pushed a stray stand of her hair behind her ear.

"It will take a while to infuse them but we believe that if we expose a few stones of the same minerals of those which hold protective magic with stronger and more persistent versions of those spells then we should be able to create something which effectively makes us invisible to enemies."

"So you can do it?" Zell asked.

"Yes." Came Rinoa's confident answer and she felt the tension in the room shift as it almost disappeared. Her eyes focused on the only member of the room still concerned with something – Ellone. She herself noticed the sorceresses glance and smiled weakly, biting at her lip worriedly but choosing not to answer Rinoa's silent question just yet. She didn't know if she believed it would be that easy…. Odin's emotions had reached her in that dream… he was scared and Guardian Forces were rarely that.

* * *

Rinoa had gone straight to the pool after breakfast, her new costume fitting her expanding midsection with room to spare that she knew would be useful in the coming months. It wasn't that she was much of a swimmer, more that she liked the feeling of almost weightlessness it brought her and the soothing lapping of the waves.

Ducking her head under she swam across the bottom of the pool, tracing her fingers across the clean sparkling blue tiles that lined the bottom until she surfaced again to breathe. She wished Squall would join her, let his mind be relaxed instead of the state it was now in.

Through out her life she has always managed to look to the positive – even now choosing to think about her unborn child and the implications she would have on their lives… she couldn't wait to be a mother or to see Squall as a father.

"Mind if I join you?" and Rinoa grinned as she turned round to see her husband standing nervously at the pools edge. He looked better than he had done that morning and a little more life had returned to his grey-blue eyes. His hands were crossed over his bare chest and he wore his SeeD issue swimming shorts, black with Balamb Gardens emblem

"Sure."

He slipped in besides her sending gentle ripples across the other wise still pool.

"Feeling better?" she asked, reaching over to pull him into a weak embrace.

"Yeah... Rin this just isn't easy for me." He told her quietly, pulling her closer towards him allowing her to see what he hid from everyone else. She was the only one who he let past his guard in that way and the only one he ever would.

"I know Squall… but I'll be here for as long as you need me to distract you, so will this one." She motioned down to her stomach then watched as a small smile settled upon her husbands lips.

"It's going to be a hard few months."

She laughed, "Tell me something I didn't know! We still have so much to get ready – I want to paint the baby's room – buy her toys, everything and I need you focussed to help me."

"I didn't…" the he trailed off at the look on her face.

"Distraction right?" and Rinoa pushed herself up to run her nose against his, planting a kiss on his lips before falling back into the water.

"Come on, I'll show you the cove Laguna had them put in."

* * *

SeeDs Witters and Rosenhart made their way through the corridors of their new home on their way to the library to take a look around. When the order from sun commander Almasy had come in neither girl had been surprised – this was what they had been trained for after all. Both were trained in the old language despite being no reference to it on their records and they formed part of an elite group of SeeDs the commanders had been preparing for years.

"It's not the same is it?" Samantha Witters commented to her long time best friend, fixing her curls into a high ponytail. So far the students that had passed them in greeting had been friendly enough – transfers between Gardens weren't that uncommon after all, but the place didn't hold the same warm feeling Balamb always had.

"No, but we'll adjust – we did when we were sent to Dollet for two months and we will here." Lily Rosenhart told her as they neared the corridor that lead to the female SeeD accommodation. She was slightly taller than Samantha with long golden brown hair that fell in gentle waves past her shoulders, her eyes were hazel and often settled in a wistful expression. She was a skilled Mage and her appearance often allowed the enemy to underestimate her power gaining her the upper hand more often than not. "And Mathews is with us this time so I'm sure you'll survive."

Lily walked a little ahead, avoiding the shocked expression that crossed the brunettes face as she stood taken aback by the comment.

"That's not the…. How did you….?" She stuttered, running to catch up with her friend.

"How do you think?" Lily raised her eyebrow as realisation settled across the other girls face.

"What about personal gain?"

"That's only for magic Sam, no one said anything about anything else…. Now come on, we said we'd meet the guys in half an hour to sort out where to start."

* * *

Seifer eyed Galbadias commander very carefully and the smaller and slightly balder man paced around the room. Quistis at his side didn't offer any indication as to what she thought on the current matter but he could tell her mind was working on something.

"We have searched this entire Garden four times in the last two weeks – ever since I received your first communication and there is nothing to indicate anywhere such a plot could have been formed." Commander Russell told them, looking far older than his 35 years.

"We are not doubting that, just that the records were tampered with without your knowledge and is it not possible that they could have been meeting somewhere you aren't aware of Commander?" Quistis asked finally with the careful diplomacy she had become so good at during her time at Garden.

Russell sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and taking a deep breath, looking out onto the high cliffs that marked the horizon and cast a shadow over the office in the afternoon sun.

"It is possible yes. Humans after all didn't build the Gardens so it could be who ever did this found somewhere we do not know how to get to." But by his tone they could tell he didn't really believe it.

"Then we shall advice the transfers to be aware of this. We also ask that should there be any trouble or they are discovered that they be given your full protection until we can remove them safely." Seifer added, bored with the meeting and wanted to return to Balamb as soon as possible, Galbadia Garden still made him uncomfortable and unwanted memories found their way to the surface the longer he stayed there.

"Of course, I just hate that it has once again come to secrecy within Gardens walls. I'll keep you informed as you requested but I'm sure the transfers will be fine."

"Thank you Commander." Quistis stood then, Seifer at her side before leaving the shaded office she was still uneasy about the arrangement but knew that it was the safest way to route out the problem – if in fact the people who had done this were still in the Garden it's self.

* * *

They had decided on yellow for the baby's room but looking at how many tins of paint there were lying around she considered Squall and Zell had returned with enough to re decorate the entire apartment.

"We figured you'd want to paint the room at Balamb the same colour." Zell explained as he watched his raven haired friend eye the tins.

She smiled then, he was a lot more thoughtful than most people gave him credit for.

"Thank's Zell, I love the boarder as well, but you didn't need to buy so many toys." Picking up the small pink cactuar she chuckled and rubbed her fingers across it's smiling embroidered face.

"It's no problem… some of them are Alex's that we thought you might like, but that one." He indicated the one in her hands, "Me and Laurie picked out ourselves."

Rinoa hugged him tightly, finding it awkward with the cactuar and her expanding midsection.

"Oh Zell… thank you so much!"

"It's not a problem, you've been there for Laurie and Me it's only fare to return the favour and Squall really needed the help."

"I heard that!" Squall shouted from the other room where he was trying to assemble some of the new furniture that they had also brought back with them. The cot had not yet arrived; it would be there within the next couple of weeks.

Rinoa stepped back, looking for the paint trays – somewhat eager to get started with the decorating.

"We picked up something else as well, something for you this time." He rubbed his tattoo nervously when she turned to face him again, she looked happy if not confused and the blonde wondered if this was the over active emotions Squall had told him about. "Here." And he handed her a gift bag decorated with small glittery moogles.

She took the bag, peering inside it just as Squall came to the door and the smile that lit her face outshone the colour of yellow in the tins of paint. Inside was a chocobo plushie, soft feathers and beautiful shining eyes, pulling it out of the bag Rinoa held it to her.

"It's wonderful! Thank you so much!" It was more the fact that they had thought to buy her something than what it had been… the fact that it was bordering on the most adorable thing she had seen and her raging hormones made it all the more special.

Squall walked over to put his arm around her, resting his hand on her stomach as well and smiled, for a few moments it was nice to simply enjoy what was happening in their lives rather than worry about the wait until their problems could be resolved.

"Right." He added finally, "Shall get started?"

* * *

Reviews and constructive criticism are very welcome and much appreciated…they also tend to inspire me to update faster. 


	15. Wheels in motion

Dislaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII, it belongs to square enix. No money has or will exchange hands and this story was written purely for entertainment value. all original characters and storylines belong to me. Especially the new characters who are mine from my original work.

Author Note: I'm once again sorry for the delay but I'm 3 months in to my Masters in Physics and Astrophysics so time to write has been very hard to come by. As such there hasn't been time to get this betaed but I've checked it over a few times to make sure I haven't made any massive mistakes. Anyway, enough of me… on with the story.

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Silent hope chapter 15

Despite her assurances that they would feel at home within the walls of Galbadia Garden Lily had conceded after five months that Sam had been right – there was something about the place that set her nerves on edge. She knew the others agreed with her even if none of them voiced it.

They had made friends easy enough, although she in particular could feel the unease radiating from some of them at the start – Sam had mentioned it as well, but they couldn't figure out what exactly it was that made them all so very xenophobic. The war between the Gardens was nearly 8 years ago, she had been 13 at the time and despite the destruction she had seen had moved on with her life without prejudice. Lily wondered why others couldn't do the same.

"You were right – there is definitely something there." Liam Eagles told her and he came to stand at her side, they were on one of the upper floors over looking the small courtyard beneath them.

"Which means Sub Commander Almasy was right and there are hidden structures within this Garden." She sighed, turning to face the tall well build dirty blonde haired SeeD at her side. "Can we get in without using our weapons?" she asked, aware that it would seem highly suspicious given the area they were supposed to be looking in.

"Not exactly, Sam says she has a way of concealing them so it shouldn't be too much trouble, it seems to be locked with magic though, Holy by the looks of it." He leaned back against the railing, surveying the corridors around them in case anyone could hear them.

"That's easy enough to hide, especially with Sam here - Mathews and yourself too."

Liam chuckled slightly. "True, question is though which one of us gets the pleasure of telling Almasy?" he asked humour playing in his hazel eyes.

"I suppose that'll be me, unless that was you volunteering?" she asked, fiddling with the creases in her violet pleated skirt, she was inwardly thankful that being SeeD meant she could wear what she chose to unless on a formal mission.

"Ah… No, you seem to handle him better anyway, besides he's been in a good mood the last few days." He told her as they started to move towards the Dorms, Lilys in particular Liam assumed as she had the communication access codes there.

"Any particular reason why?" she asked, shivering and pulling her tailored knee length black jacket around her as they reached the open air corridors towards the back of the Garden.

"I'm not sure, something about good news from Esthar."

* * *

He watched her rhythmic breathing with something close to fascination, her tiny pink fingers fisted around the yellow blanket they had wrapped her in. Her eyes were closed as she slept hiding the subtle blue-grey colour beneath their lids, she was beautiful. The perfect image of her mother who lay besides them.

Rinoa slept as soundly as their daughter, raven hair splayed across the crisp white pillows of the medical unit in Esthars palace she looked contented even in sleep and the thought set Squalls mind at ease.

It had been a short but painful birth, Rinoa having been affected both physically and magically. He had been scared for her – having had no real experience with the situation he had turned to Zell but even then it hadn't been enough. Being a sorceress had added a whole other level and she had said just being there with her had helped but Squall wondered just how much help he had been.

Rinoa had been right about the baby's sex after all – Dr Braska who had delivered their daughter hadn't been the slightest bit surprised, neither had Laurie and once again he was left to wonder at the intuition of the women he knew. _I wonder if the fact they are all Mages has anything to do with it._

His wife stirred at his side and as she woke from sleep completely she rolled over to be looking at him, her dark eyes reflecting the moonlight sharply in the darkness of the room.

"Squall?" she mumbled as she started to sit herself up against the head board.

"You should go back to sleep, we'll still be here in the morning." He told her quietly so as not to wake their sleeping daughter.

"I've been sleeping for…. 12 hours." Rinoa commented, glancing to the clock to the right of the bed.

Squall didn't say anything more but carefully helped his wife sit up without disturbing the baby in his arms.

"Have you thought of a name?" Rinoa asked quietly and her husband shook his head, they had been so worried about making preparations for their child and the battle that was nearing that an actual name still hadn't been decided upon. Or at least not one they could both agree on.

"I didn't think it would be so hard… I thought it would come to me when I saw her for the first time." he paused and passed their child to Rinoa and the little girl mumbled in her sleep. "I think I'll be happy with any name you decide on."

"Really?" she asked, knowing that Squall normally liked being in control of most things in his life. Especially with the current situation coming to a close, they had received news that the Galbadian Garden team had found evidence of secret passage ways within that Garden and it left a dark sense of foreboding that disturbed them all. Rinoa only hoped their daughter's presence was enough to calm Squall before the battle began.

"Yeah, you must have been thinking of a name Rin even if you're not sure about it there's one you're considering." He placed his arm around her shoulders, holding her gently towards him and she relaxed into the hold.

"Hikari." She whispered looking at the small child, their child.

"What?" he asked quietly.

"Hikari." Rinoa repeated, "It means light in the old language, it somehow seemed appropriate. If you don't like it we can choose something else." She told him gently, placing her finger in her daughters palm and smiling when she squeezed it even though she was sleeping.

Squall thought about it for a moment, it was an appropriate name he realised and beautiful too, most people wouldn't know the true meaning or how closely it matched what she was to him – to them.

"It's fine." And he placed a kiss into Rinoa's hair. He wished that there was a way to stay within those few moments – the three of them together and happy, but he knew that the battle was unavoidable. Whether or not Rinoa would be fighting was still uncertain.

* * *

"_You guys ready?"_ Sub-Commander Almasys voice carried over the communication device attached to Lily's jacket.

"We're ready sir. We'll cease communication for the next half an hour. If we do not manage to radio in within 10 minutes after that time then you may assume a code red and alert our back up."

"_Copy that. Rosenhart, Mathews, Witters and Eagles. Good luck_." A small beep signalled the end of communications and the group all looked to one and other.

Mathews stood nearest the door with Samantha by his side, her hair was left to fall in curls over her shoulders rather than tied back – it was something Lily had observed her friend do in situations such as these. Liam stood next to Lily on the other side of the door, mythril sword in hand. Lily and Samantha both held their staffs, ornate jewellery and ribbons infused with magic shining brightly on both leading up to the equally beautiful carved tops, Lily's in the shape of a phoenix and Samantha's in the shape of a crested wave.

The plan was, in theory, simple. Lily would cast her strongest holy spell combination while Sam, a red mage rather than white would cast the defensive spells and keep their presence there hidden from anyone else. Liam and Mathews, who was armed with two pistols were the bruit force – although if need be they both possessed some form of magical ability.

Sam spoke up, being the usual voice of reason and clarity.

"We've done this kind of thing before and we know what to do, the sooner we start the sooner this is all over." But she knew that wouldn't quite be the case… what they found there – if there was anything at all to find would be the smoke signal for the start of a battle.

"Ok then. Shall we?" and Liam motioned to Lily who moved to stand in front of the door, she could hear Sam at her side chanting spells under her breath but forced her mind to concentrate on her spells. Holy came from the mind and soul rather than words and she swung her staff down towards the ground in a graceful motion before bringing it upwards again and pointing it towards the door.

Bright white light erupted and engulfed the door, shining white ribbons dance and flowed around Lily and the surrounding area almost like wings reaching out before flight. The wind created ruffled their clothes but slowly settled as the light receded and what was left of the doorway before them was revealed.

Sam had set the forcefield around them so they were undetectable and so was the scene before them. The first thing to hit Lily was the smell coming from the room her free hand flew to her mouth before she could gag and she could see the others doing the same, Sam fixed her long white scarf around her face so she could move forwards and see what they had uncovered.

Liam handed Lily and Mathews unused handkerchiefs and held their weapons whilst they attached them. It did little to curb the stench of what could only be described as death and her heart sank as she considered what might lie ahead of them.

"Thanks." She told him, eyes focussed ahead of them as she took back her staff, keeping if firmly within her grasp.

None of the four were strangers to battle or to the death and destruction that came with it. Their SeeD exams – although Mathews had been more recent than the other three, were missions some SeeDs refused to be apart of. But nothing they had seen before then affected them as much as what lay in the small room down the dark corridor they had opened.

Sam had gotten there first and without saying a word had turned to her friends and after closing her eyes for a few seconds motioned to each of them and they found themselves able to breathe without smelling the putrid stench coming from the room.

Liam moved forwards first, followed by Lily as Mathews chose to stay as close to Sam as possible. The other two didn't comment as it was well known that their feelings for each other had grown to much more than simple infatuation. Lily couldn't recall the last time she'd seen her friend return to her dorm room alone, she reasoned it was probably the reason she and Liam had become better friends in the first place and inwardly she thanked Sam for that.

Despite their training nothing had really prepared them for what lay in the small room entitled 'HEADQUARTERS' written in faded black marker on the oak door. The room was dimly lit, Lily not having the will to lighten the room any further when it became apparent what lay inside. Clutter laid everywhere, books, ancient tomes and scraps of paper scribbled over in several different hands cluttered the room.

Amongst all of this lay the remains of six people, all fallen onto the table in the centre of the room with piles of red and black candle wax between each of them and a large crystal structure in the centre. But judging by the state of their remains they had been there between 9 months to a year. Thankfully four of the six had died or fallen to be face down on the table; the other two were propped against each other, hands grasped together on the table with what remained of their eyes seemingly closed.

Lily turned her gaze to the chalk board behind them, reading the ancient script with dark fascination. _This is what was missing – this is what they tampered with._

_In the darkness they shall fall_

_Until the worthy hear their call_

_To lighten fate Hyne turned against_

_To rise to claim their throwns again_

_The sacrifice will be called upon_

_To reverse what Hyne and her knight had done_

_The brothers one of sight and one of sound_

_On this earth shall once again proclaim their demand._

Lily read it through three times, heart sinking lower each time she did so and at her side she was vaguely aware that Liam had accessed their communications device and was talking with Sub –Commander Almasy.

* * *

Selphie was once again walking the halls of Esthars palace, over the past five months it had become part of her daily routine. Irvine had questioned her about it several times but she had simply told him she needed the time alone to deal with what they might be facing.

Having taken on board what Rinoa had told her over coffee five months before, Selphie had decided to wait for Irvine to come to a decision about children and their future. The change had been subtle at first but over the past few weeks he'd spent time helping her baby sit Laurie and Zells children, she hoped silently, while she had watched him, that he was realising how wonderful children of their own would one day be.

"Selphie!" the brunette turned to see Laurie running to catch her up, black hair falling in her face as she caught her breath.

"You ok?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "Just wanted to let you know I got the call from the Esthar Junk shop this evening – it's finished."

"There weren't any problems with the new design?" Selphie asked, starting to bounce on the balls of her feet.

"No, he said it was one of the most beautiful and unusual designs he'd seen. He commented on the stones we asked him to inlay but only that they were dazzling, there hasn't been any problem with it and we can go pick it up tommorrow."

The two continued walking, Selphie feeling happier within herself. They had wanted to get Rinoa something not so much as a congratulations on your baby girl present but more of a 'you might need this in the future to protect her' present.

"Do you think she'll like it?"

"Honestly?" Laurie smiled. "Yeah, it'll give her more freedom and power to fight… even though I hope she doesn't have to we all know it might come to it."

* * *

Seifer swore loudly and punched his fist into the communicator keyboard, thankful that they were on radio rather than video contact.

"What do you recommend we do next sir?" he heard SeeD Eagles ask on the other end.

Seifer sighed. "Collect what you can – shield everything else and take a video record… I'll alert Garden security and get the area properly sealed off. I recommend you all make your way to the headmaster's office and stay there for your own safety."

"Yes sir…. Rosenhart is requesting to be allowed her laptop and research notes so she and Witters can work on uncovering this thing."

"Permission Granted. I'll contact Commander Leonhart and get back to you. Good work. Stay safe."

It had begun, the pieces were falling into place, and he just had to start everything moving. SeeD units had been ready to ship out to Esthar before onto their final destination in order to receive the final briefing for weeks now and the teams had already been stepped up at each of the Gardens and Tears Point.

What he dreaded in the pit of his stomach was that a similar group of people to those who had seemingly willingly committed group suicide in Galbadia were planning to do the same thing in Esthar.

What worried him more was the thought that they already had…. Eagles had said Rosenhart suspected the large crystal structure was the trigger taken from the Tomb of the Unknown King, which meant a similar one could already have been taken from Tears Point.

Calling up the contact details he hesitated before pressing the call button, but only for a second.

"Seifer?"

"Yeah. Squall we have a report from the Galbadia Garden team."

* * *

Reviews and constructive criticism very much welcome and appreciated. 


	16. Shooting Star

Disclaimer: I do not own final fantasy VIII it is the property of Squarenix. This story has been written purely for entertainment value and no money has or will exchange hands. All original characters and storylines belong to me. Thank you.

Author Note: I can't appologise enough for the delay in this, it's been a combination of things, a lack of reader feedback, writers block in some parts of this story and my muse being interested in other projects, both fanfiction and not.

I don't know if anyone will actually read this but this is about 2 chapters away from the end with an epilogue. This and the following chapters are dedicated to Vilg Oui, who has reviewed every single chapter as well as my Beta's both past and present.

***

Chapter 16: Shooting Star

Lily and Sam had spent the best part of 15 hours working with the books recovered from that dark room, They had barely eaten and the signs of fatigue were starting to show.

Liam and Mathews watched them from where they were standing guard, Galbadia Garden had been placed on full alert but the two young women didn't seem to have noticed.

Mathews turned to the other man, bored of the silence and their inability to help the others. "I've been meaning to ask, what's going on with you and Lily? Sam let something slip about the two of you last week and I've been wondering ever since."

Liam looked at his friend, eyebrows raised and started to laugh, albeit as quietly as possible. "You've got the wrong Liam, It's Elden that Lily has been seeing."

Mathews just looked at him, as if trying to remember anyone else by that name at Balamb.

"He's a SeeD from Trabia and he and Lily met during our visit in Dollet. I mean me and Lily are good friends, don't get me wrong but I don't see her that way." Liam shrugged as he finished, glad to have cleared it up and amused all the same.

"Oh…. right. Sorry."

"No problem, although we might want to stop those for a while, we'll be expected to help in whatever fight is coming and I won't have them killing themselves in the process."

"You have a point." Liam told him, holstering his weapon and starting towards Lily.

She looked up at him with tired eyes and nodded. He watched as she finished saving her current work in two different places and shut her laptop down. She stood without saying a word, packed her things away into her satchel and hooked her staff onto the back of her coat. It was part held by physical means but also by a form of magic which tied the staff to her.

Sam was putting up more of a protest but she had always needed the least sleep out of their group, Mathews still seemed to be winning though and Lily smiled as she followed Liam to the room that connected with the Headmasters office. It turned out to be a bedroom of sorts, although there was really only one large bed and a large selection of cushions. The Headmaster had informed them that it was a sort of safe room and they'd be able to find a fresh supply of food, potions and other supplies.

"Take the bed Lily, we'll stand guard whilst the two of you sleep, they'll be here to take us to Esthar in the morning."

drained to the point she was already half asleep, Lily placed her belongings at the side of the bed and fell on top of it.

Liam watched his long time friend as she slept until Sam and Mathews came in, aside from her Liam and maybe even Sam, he knew her, understood her on about the level she understood him. Which is why he was so worried about what was coming next.

They would be the support but she would stand at the forefront with Instructor Heartilly and the others of their kind.

***

Rinoa had taken the news surprisingly well, it had, after all been expected and with herself and Hikari now at home it seemed right somehow that it had come to this. Squall was making something in the kitchen but she stood with her daughter, both in almost matching bed clothes in pale pink (a colour she seldom wore but Laguna had bought them as a gift) watching the sun set over the city before them.

Laurie and Selphie were expected to join them for dinner, their respective partners choosing not to join them so they could have some time together, but for now she was left to the view and the little girl in her arms.

"Your mother is going to have to fight whatever that thing is, but don't worry sweetheart, I'll be back safe and sound." She placed a gentle kiss on the girls head. "Your dad will be there too, so you'll be with your Granddad." Rinoa was fighting back tears as she spoke. "Granddad Laguna and Aunty Ellone will watch out for you so be good kay?" She wished her own father would contact them - make any effort to seek resolution with his daughter rather than bypass her completely.

"Rinny?" Selphie called gently, she stood in the doorway between the balcony and the front room.

"It's okay, you can come over." Rinoa told her, voice a little choked but it was never something she had ever felt she had to hide from Selphie. Emotions made you who you were after all and hiding them had always, at least for the most part, seemed like a waste.

Her cousin put her arm around her shoulder and Hikari, now sleeping in her mothers arms, Rinoa leaned her head against her's immediately and Selphie started to rub her arm soothingly.

"She's beautiful Rinny."

"I know."

"And so Tiny." She added, still unable to grasp how small babies fingers and toes were, so small and so very vulnerable.

Rinoa laughed at that, a sound bordering on happy but not quite. There were still tears in her eyes.

Laurie joined them then, having placed the case containing Rinoa's gift on the table inside. She stood on Rinoa's other side and placed her arm around both her friends.

"It's going to be okay you know, we'll cast the final stage of the protection ring in the morning so all the children will be safe and we know the wards will work." She said all of those things even though she knew Rinoa wouldn't be worried about that, the battle would be hard - they all knew it, but the pain of being away from her daughter so close after her birth would be hard to get over.

They stood together for a while afterwards until the sun was set so far below the horizon that the stars started to light up across the desert sky. Rinoa only had to shiver once to know it was time the four of them were safely inside.

Shaking her shoulders gently her friends stepped back and followed her inside. Squall was waiting there, eyeing his wife carefully. She smiled at him in reassurance and placed their daughter in his arms.

"Dinner is almost done." he told her as he headed towards their bedroom. Hikari's cot would stay there for the time being and so, it seemed would the army of plush toys they had been given since the little girls arrival.

"Thanks." She flopped onto the nearest sofa, Selphie and Laurie at her sides soon after.

"We wanted to get you something, something to make this a little easier. It's taken a lot longer than we hoped though but it's here now." Laurie slid forwards on the sofa towards the long dark blue case, the wing embellishment on the case had been Selphie's Idea, and brought it to rest on their laps.

"It was such a shame to let something so valuable go to waste." Selphie commented as she watched Rinoa run her hands across the smooth surface of the case before unlatching the claps that ran along one side.

The case clicked open to reveal a staff held within a violet velvet case, bright white wings shining and their deadly edges now dimmed and rounded. The jewels glittered and shone in the light of the front room and the ribbons that adorned the staff's body were so many shades of blue. It was beautiful.

"It's….I… It's wonderful, it really is, but I've never been trained… I wouldn't know how to use it." Her voice sounded far away as she lifted the staff from the case and ran her hands through the small collection of loose ribbons near the top.

"We have it on good authority it will come naturally to you, for your level of magic it should help to channel it and improve your control." Laurie told her.

"Who's Authority?" Rinoa asked, turning to her friends with her staff resting across their laps.

"Lily Rosenhart and Dr Braska." Laurie was surprised at the look on Rinoa's face. "You didn't know?"

"I had no idea, I knew they were powerful - I helped train Lily, but I chose not to read the final report on her power level and Dr Braska? That would explain things, they way she was assigned to me and Hikari….. they're both Sorceresses?" She fell back into the sofa and felt Selphie rest her head on her shoulder, taking her hand as the shock washed over her.

"It turns out that there are more than were originally thought, magic has been passed down throughout the generations and it's started to concentrate in those who have natural potential." Laurie explained. "Dr Braska has a Knight much like you have Squall and although Lily has been somewhat tight liped about it, we know she has someone as well."

"Anyone else?"

"We're not sure, Sam Witters refused to be tested but we suspect she's Sorceress level and there are others like her who also refused as well as those not involved with Garden."

"I don't……"

"It'll be fine Rinny." Selphie whispered. "I'll be right at your side, no one will be able to tell who's a mage and who's not, no one would want to expose any of you."

Rinoa didn't know what to think, more Sorceresses made her feel somehow less alone but it also increased the risk of discovery, The people would always fear what they didn't understand, but then the people would never really know. In so many ways it was just the same as their battle with Ultimicia…. most of the world didn't know what was happening and they believed what they were told in the end.

***

Quistis was perplexed, she couldn't understand why such a large group had gone un noticed not once but twice, who ever was invoking the power of such beings was doing so virtually undetected. Rosenhart and Eagles report had made it clear they suspected a group with high level magic, or at least a deep desire to attain it, they found the first trigger and managed to activate it… or at least half of them had.

"Hey." Seifer called from the door way. "mind if i come in?"

Quistis pushed her hair out of her face and pinched the bridge of her nose, looking up to find him resting against the door frame with a tray from the cafeteria.

"Sure, I could do with the company." she folded her laptop shut and pushed it away from her as Seifer put the tray on the table and brought a chair next to hers.

"How's it going?" She asked, leaning into his embrace.

"We've got the teams set up outside of Tears point and the Island closest to Heaven but there's no sign of intruders so far… as for finding out what exactly is doing this? I'd go with Rosenhart and her research team's idea, that they've been lied to, persuaded to join a cult and become so involved they can no longer tell right from wrong."

Seifer picked up a sandwich, filled with nondescript cafeteria meat and handed it to Quistis, she picked at it for a while, barely speaking before placing it back on the tray.

"I'll feel better when we're on our way, when our Rosenhart and the other's join us and we're in Esthar. I'm never happy just sitting and waiting."

She looked so tired, black rings underneath her eyes and her hair tied roughly behind her head. It was getting late but he doubted Quistis had really noticed the time.

"Let's go home then."

"What?" she asked, straightening up at his comment. "There is too much for me to do… I have to sort out the rotas for Xu…. the report for Nida…" But Seifer placed a finger across her lips which prevented her from continuing.

"It can all be done in the morning, in the transport ship in the way over if you really want but not now. You need sleep, big day and all tomorrow."

"Seifer….." She'd already given up and let him half lift her out of the chair, she made a grab for her laptop and he laughed before picking it up for her and placing it under his free arm.

***

The benefits, the group had learned, was that with such magic's that protected ones appearance and presence no one could tell they were there. They, like their friends before them, had walked straight in, although they were now struggling to reach their final destination.

_Separated by sight and sound._

Garden had discovered their companions after all…. such a shame, they had hoped to go undetected…. with one of the brothers gone they were left struggling as it was, but they had already decided to pay this price, it was worth it for everything they had been promised, an eternity as a god, a guardian force.

_When one is lost, the other found._

Everything their friends already had. They were the chosen ones, contacted by the sleeping Princes of Hynes court and promised rich rewards if they helped to free the once famed royalty.

_In dreams they cannot take their thrown._

They would not heed the lies of one of the most destructive sorceresses in all of history, they sought the other truth, saw things the other way around and they would wait, as long as needs be do fulfil their duty. It was only a matter of time.

***

Lily had awoken to a familiar voice, but her half conscious mind couldn't understand why he was on the intercom system, she couldn't remember there being one in the bedroom and she was certain she couldn't answer her phone in her sleep.

"Lily, Lily come on we need to get you on board." She could feel someone shaking her awake, which only served to confuse her further.

"We could carry her." Liam suggested.

"We could…" Liam… _wait Liam Elden_ replied and Lily finally snapped awake, reaching up to the figure above her.

He just smiled, reaching out his hand to pull her up.

"Everything's packed up and ready to go, we just need you."

"Liam." She beamed, embracing him briefly before standing and taking the hair brush her friend near the door way was holding. She mouthed a word of thanks before turning back to her boyfriend."I didn't think you were coming, I thought we'd be meeting you there."

Elden shrugged. "Seifer thought it would be better for me to come out here and travel back with you, you know with the whole…" he made a gesture at her staff "Thing."

"Oh." She tugged the brush through the last tangled bit of her hair before slipping it into her laptop bag and lifting it onto her shoulder.

"I told him not to worry, what with you having Eagles with you, but he said until you managed to figure out which one of us 'it' was, it would be best to have us both here."

Lily rolled her eyes at that, doing a final sweep of the room before taking Liams had and making their way out to meet the others.

"You know, if people didn't presume so much then this wouldn't be a problem." she commented and both men looked at her with the same expression of exasperation.

It had been confusing for a while but she had known it would be Elden from the moment they had met, she and Eagles, despite having been friends for years and closer friends over the past few months had simply shared a mutual respect for each other. Eagles sister had shown similar abilities to Lily and so he had understood what she was and what she was going through and Lily had been there for him when he needed to talk - needed to talk about the things few others would understand about life with a Sorceress.

But what she was didn't mean she would cease to function if Elden wasn't there and such a suggestion aggravated her, she'd had the argument with Seifer once before but he had shrugged it off, which given his past history she had thought odd.

He just wanted to protect her after all, he'd failed as a Knight because he lacked the close relationship with his Sorceress… maybe that was why he wanted Elden with her and not Eagles.

She wondered if maybe she should have taken Sam's approach and refuse to be tested, Elden squeezed her hand tighter as soon as the thought had entered her mind and she could almost hear him saying _no you don't, not knowing was driving you mad, finding out you were a white sorceress calmed you and made you who you are today._ She smiled at him and nodded, okay so if even for her own selfish reasons, it was good to have him back again.

***

Next chapter will be up within a week, it's almost done and will then just need a final grammar check. Any feedback and constructive criticism welcome.


	17. Hour Come Round At Last

Disclaimer: I do not own final fantasy VIII it is the property of Squarenix. This story has been written purely for entertainment value and no money has or will exchange hands. All original characters and storylines belong to me. Thank you.

Author note: Thank you to those who reviewed the last chapter or added this to their favourites. It's good to know there are people reading this. This is probably the penultimate chapter not including an epilogue.

***

Chapter 17: The Hour Comes Around at Last

Squall hated it, hated the waiting. Watching the second hand flick round and round the clock as they sat in the presidential reception room. Seifer, Quistis and Rosenhart's group were expected at any time. Selphie, Irvine and the Dincht's were already there and Rinoa sat patiently at his side, Hikari sleeping in her arms.

He sighed and sat back. He couldn't help it, it wasn't in his nature to spend so long waiting for something but even after the months they had spent preparing it still felt as though it couldn't happen soon enough. He was back to strength…. almost and he'd be lying if he said the sight of his wife's staff weapon and the promise that lay with it weren't comforting.

There was a knock at the door, but whoever it was didn't feel like waiting and the door flew open shortly afterwards.

He allowed himself to hope for a brief second that Seifer had finally decided to turn up but the figure that bounded into the room was lighter on their feet and dressed in such a way that he hardly recognised her.

"Sorry I'm so late." Dr Braska announced as she adjusted the her White jacket, the sleeves on which lengthened almost to her knees. She wore a tight fitting dusky pink top and a knee length sky blue skirt that swished and swayed when she walked. Compared to her usual attire this had not been what he was expecting.

"It's alright, the other's aren't here yet so don't worry." Rinoa told her as the doctor came to sit at her side. A young blonde man followed her a few moments afterwards, nodding to everyone in the room but not really speaking, he in turn sat next to her before closing his eyes and lying as far back in the chair as he could.

"How's she doing?" Dr Braska asked and Rinoa smiled.

"Great. I'm sure if you ask me in three months I'll be complaining about being kept up all night but right now I'm so happy she's here…. none of it bothers me yet."

The doctor then looked to Squall, as if to repeat the question.

"Everything's fine, I just want to deal with this before I… everything's fine." He told her, wondering why her knowing smile made him feel uncomfortable. Finding out she was a Sorceress hadn't bothered him so much at first but she was so very different from the reserved doctor he was used to he was starting to wonder how she dealt with front line combat.

"It's almost time." Laurie spoke up then, her voice stronger than she must have been feeling.

"I know." Rinoa's reply was quiet but everyone heard it. Squall placed his arm around her and placed kissed into her hair.

Across the room Laurie was holding on to the twins whilst Alex held onto his fathers leg slowly shaking his head. He watched as Zell bent down to talk to his son, Squall had a good idea what he was saying and the boy relented, instead walking to his mother who was now stood, one twin on each hip with a careful expression on her face.

"Squall…." Rinoa was biting her lip and he knew exactly how she was feeling, he could literally feel it radiating from her. He stood with her and without caring what the other rooms occupants though, he held his wife and daughter to him.

"It'll be fine Rin." He whispered, wondering if she could tell how uncertain he was, but if she could she didn't mention it.

After a moment Rinoa stepped back, Hikari stirring in her arms.

"We'll be back soon, let us know when they arrive." She looked calmer and he presumed this meant she had reverted to battle Rin, her eyes were more focussed and her composure was more controlled. He hated that she had to be this way though at the same time more grateful than he knew how to express that she could switch so suddenly.

She, Laurie and the children made their way out to an area of the Palace secured by one of Seifers elite teams and Laguna's personal guard.

The rest simply waited.

***

They had made their way in one at a time whenever the secure doors had opened but it had taken them longer than hoped and supplies had to be forfeited in the process.

Their abilities were limited but the two amongst them with magical tendencies had managed to kill two of the Mages Guarding the inner sanctum. It wouldn't be long before people started to notice, they all knew they had to act quickly.

_To reverse what Hyne and her Knight had done._

***

_Odin had held on by sheer resolve so far and he knew they were getting closer, their part of this was almost complete. He had wished there was some other way to stop this, to prevent the battle and expose the Sorceresses once again but there was nothing that could be done._

_His final thoughts, his final guidance would, he believed have to be enough. A small part of him was still hoping for another way, or at least further support. There were others like him... or who were close enough and his final moments were a silent plea to any of those listening, any of those able to fight without the power of junctioning to stand up and join the daughers of Hyne and those that stood with them._

_***_

The children were safe, that at least she could rest assured knowing and should the worst befall their parents there would at least be people to care for them, to bring them up.

Rinoa headed back to the main reception room with Laurie at her side, the two women were holding hands and the only noise in the corridor was the ruffle of Rinoa's dress and long blue jacket. Sorceresses, it seemed recovered from pregnancy far quicker than most so despite having regained her figure she preferred the knee length empire line black dress and flowing long blue jacket. The usual white wings were emblazoned on the back.

Laurie looked so pale Rinoa wondered if her friend would be able to snap into her own battle mode, fighters staff at the ready with her children waiting behind.

"I'll be alright."

Rinoa blinked. "I didn't say anything."

Laurie smiled, "You didn't have to, I could see the look on your face but I promise I'll be fine."

Rinoa wanted to say something more but voices behind them disturbed their conversation and the turned, hands separating to see Seifer, Quistis and Lily Rosenhart walk towards them, the latter looking every bit the strong and capable SeeD Rinoa was used to knowing but there was a new sparkle in her eyes and a bounce in her step. She didn't seem hungry for battle, it wasn't that sort of sparkle, but she looked happier and her staff, attached to her back bobbed as she walked.

Seifer upped his pace as he ran to catch the two women ahead of them, which was when Rinoa caught Lily take the hand of a young man she was sure she'd seen before…. _her Knight_. It all suddenly made so much sense.

"Rin!" Seifer threw his arms around her as he reached them and almost lifted her off the floor. It would have been unusual behaviour, but he hadn't seen her in months and regardless of what had passed between them, she was, next to Quistis, the closest person to him.

"erro Seipher." She mumbled against his chest. "It's ood to see you oo."

As if realising what he was doing he released her and looked around as if missing something.

"She's safe, they're all safe." Rinoa told him, hoping he didn't ask her anymore, this wasn't the time for her to loose her composure.

"What happened to you? we expected you all an hour ago." Laurie piped up as Quistis and the others approached. Besides her blonde friend there were five others, Lily, Sam and Eagles she recognised but she knew from first glance she had never taught the other two men.

"You didn't hear?" The SeeD holding Lily's hand asked.

Both Rinoa and Laurie shook their heads, panic starting to build.

"There was an incident reported at Tears Point and our entry to Esthar was delayed, they've managed to break in and all reports indicate things at The Island Closest to Heaven are about to get interesting…. The Ragnarok is being prepped and we came to gather everyone." Lily explained, already starting to walk ahead of the rest of them, her friends not too far behind.

Quistis and Seifer stayed behind with the two young mothers.

"We lost three but the group are believed to have been killed by whatever the trigger is…. another team, much like Rosenharts have been sent in to evaluate and they'll stay posted there until further notice." Seifer's voice was cold, almost emotionless but it was written all over his face, he hadn't expected this or hadn't wanted to consider it as a possibility.

"What about the groups already on the Island?" Rinoa asked, brushing her hair behind her ear then reaching for the rings that lay around her neck, it was an old habit and it calmed her, along with the weight of the staff on her back.

Quistis and Seifer looked at each other before either spoke and the blonde bit her lip.

"We haven't heard anything…. but we have no choice but to head out there. They had a full stock of the stones and equipment you had been working on so…."

Rinoa just nodded, there was no point moving - the others would have to come this way to get back to the ship but standing there whilst things were already slipping out of their control….. she couldn't stand still much longer.

***

On board the Ragnarok the tension was almost unbearable, the three sorceresses and their Knights assembled on the main bridge along with Eagles, Seifer and Quistis. The others were stationed on the second, lower control room where Zell and Irvine would be in charge. For once Selphie hadn't argued about being denied access to the controls.

"You know why you're all up here. When we reach the Island we'll all be there together but right now we need to brief you specifically." Quistis leaned against the dormant control panel on the right side of the bridge, Rinoa and Squall sat in the main seats and the others were standing or sitting around.

"What with us being Sorceresses and all." Lily remarked from where she sat between Elden and Eagles.

"Exactly. We can't have anyone suspecting what you three are and we're hoping that with the level of mages around that this won't be a problem but -"

"Excuse me, I really don't mean to interrupt, I've come into all this a little late but who's to say this thing - the second one is any stronger than the first?" Dr Braska asked. "I have no intention of backing down but no one has actually explained this part to me yet."

Seifer and Squall looked as though they were about to launch into an argument with the doctor when Eagles spoke up, his calm voice and laid back attitude not giving them a chance to argue.

"Our research shows that with the number of high level spells and creatures on this Island it's likely to grow in strength rapidly, I know that the other, the one Instructor Heartily and Commander Leonhart fought doesn't, by what the reports say, sound as dangerous but by that point it had almost run out of 'food'." He looked around, hoping this was making sense. "Had it succeeded in taking the commanders life, or had it managed to reach a major city…. things would be a lot different now." He looked to Elden to continue, knowing that this had been his area of expertise to start with.

"They've also been sleeping, dreaming for thousands of years and have, to a certain degree lost their minds. This is why it's so dangerous and with it being so close to Esthar and the population within…. we have to stop it and do it quickly."

"Okay, makes sense." The doctor conceded, shrugging her shoulders and settling down again. Lily smiled at her in agreed frustration before turning back to Quistis.

"We have informed the others what will be expected of them and they'll mirror your spells and try to make it look like a group effort…. but it may come to a point where you can no longer hide. Do what you must and let Garden deal with the rest."

All three Sorceresses looked to each other and they all understood that by that point they and their nights would likely be the only ones left. There was also a more subtle understanding that there were more than just the three of them out there with that level of power. If any of their number were to fall, the being they were fighting would have near limitless power.

"We're almost there." Irvine's voice called over the intercom and before them they could see the Island clearly. The central ground fell into a crater sending fragmented lines into the earth around it.

The only sign of the teams that had been there before was rubble and shelter that looked as though it had been torn to shreds.

Seifer cursed under his breath and Squall's eyes turned almost to ice. What ever was there was waiting for them, had maybe even known they were approaching.

"Ready?" Lily asked, looking around at the faces of her companions.

"Yes." Rinoa's reply was firm and her eyes focused, she held her staff at her side and when she stood the others stood with her.

It was time.

***

The gentle breeze that blew across the grassy Island did nothing calm the group, around 20 of the highest level SeeDs across all three Gardens, as they made their way towards the crater.

Laurie, Zell, Selphie and Irvine had been joined by Sam and Mathews, they and another group were to tackle either side of the crater. The main group from the bridge of the Ragnarok were to take on the centre.

There was no sound, no movement inside the crater it's self, which Rinoa noted was an indicator that the being was at least still within. Her heart rate stayed calm and steady, magic flowing through her in a constant stream. Her skin tingled and her eyes widened just the slightest amount, she understood what Laurie had meant about the staff, there was something about it that grounded her, kept her in control of a force she had given in to before when times had been their most desperate.

The air was electric and without having to look to either side she knew the others felt the same, Squall was on his guard but he stepped back when they reached the mouth of the crater.

"_So you have come." _The voice was barely above a whisper, a greedy unforgiving whisper. "_When will the daughters of Hyne rest? When will they learn to submit?"_ His voice became louder - almost to the point of shouting. He was angry, gone mad with the passing of time and now loosing control as the life force he had stolen from others surged around him.

Rinoa couldn't see him but she knew he was there, knew he was watching them - sensing them. She grasped her staff tighter, whispered words of protection on her breath as she waited.

"When those who wish only to destroy them are decimated." Squall answered, choosing to ignore the second part of the question, it was irrelevant.

Silence followed, broken by the constant sound of their clothes flapping in the wind, Sorceresses, mages and others cast their final protection spells and readied their powers. Rinoa could almost feel wings flowing from her back, she let her eyes fall closed for a moment, sensing what she could not see before a single word left her lips, staff swinging in a sharp arc upwards.

"Holy." Blasts of white light, ribbons and flashes shot forwards, some rebounded off the invisible barrier, not far enough to hurt but enough to stun. Lily and Dr Braska joined her, Selphie and Laurie too, it sounded like a black smith shaving the edge of a sword but so much louder that their ears rang but no one paid it any mind.

It was working, but slowly. Rinoa wondered how long they could do this - how much power they would have to force it into giving out for it's own protection. _Or how much it's waiting for us to use, waiting for us to be tired, to be unable to fight him._

***

_He wondered if the cold was simply death approaching him at long last, welcoming him into the peaceful oblivion he longed to share with his beloved Hyne. Centuries had passed but he still longed for her, his duty to this world was the only tangible thing that kept him there… _

_He'd always imagined it would be warmer, that she would be there to lead him to their eternal safe haven, her eyes would shine in the way they once had and her laughter would fill the air. She had been so free then, before the magic and the power and so very beautiful with endless tendrils of golden hair and a smile that held so many of the secrets he alone shared with her._

"_Lord Odin, your summon has been heard."_

_He was not, after all dying then, The voice was not that of his Sorceress._

"_Shiva." The cold grew stronger, but it would cause him no harm. He strained to lift his head to her and he managed a weak smile. "I had thought your kind had left this place, had moved on."_

_The woman before him stood on bended knee, golden bangs falling to the floor on either side of her face, the rest across her back fading from white to violet. She radiated the same power from the last time he had spoken with her and of that he was grateful._

"_Some of us stayed for a while, to observe and protect as long as we were needed, but mages and Hynes descendants have all but meant our kind can return. Siren and myself remain but the rest have moved on." Shiva stood, the time for paying homage had ended. Time on all sides was running short._

"_Can you do what I request? Will Siren join you?" His voice was barely a whisper but being what she was Shiva understood without his use for words._

"_I will, Siren has consented to loan her power as she cannot fight him, but not yet. I will go to where he reside and I will wait. He must be killed by a Sorceress, by magic, sword or hand but they must be a descendant of Hyne so I cannot be the one to end this either." As she explained, talking with her hands as he had always remembered her doing, ice cold air flowed from her and around her, the sand beneath her feet glittered and the stone walls reflected the light as though made of thousands of perfect diamonds._

"_I am aware, they are aware also. I will thank you this final time Shiva, you have served long and well. May we meet again."_

_Shiva bowed, her face placid and calm as she rose to look upon him one final time, she could almost see through him but his eyes still held his gaze and she understood his message, what he needed of her - of them._

_***_

Feedback and constructive criticism are welcome. Next chapter should be up in the next week or two.


	18. Diamond Dust

Disclaimer: I do not own final fantasy VIII it is the property of Squarenix. This story has been written purely for entertainment value and no money has or will exchange hands. All original characters and storylines belong to me. Thank you.

Authors note: Thank you once again to all those who have been patient with this story. My internet connection is working a lot better now so I've finally managed to post this. so without further ado, this is the final story chapter before the epilogue.

***

Chapter 18 - Diamond Dust

The spells varied as much as the level of magic, Sam, Laurie and Selphie held their own on their side of the battle with Irvine putting his long range to good use and Zell acting as back-up.

Selphie swung Strange Vision with years of experience and uttered spells under her breath fluidly her expression only changing when she saw them connect. They were gaining ground, at least she believed they were.

It was as she reached for an ether, the three second of time it took her to reach to her pocket that she was hit, Strange Vision falling from her hands as a rebounded Flare knocked her to the ground. Selphie had been hit before, but this was different, she couldn't breath properly and felt as though the shell cast upon her had been useless.

"Selphie!" Irvine was at her side within moments, picking up her weapon as he moved.

She attempted a smile or to speak but fell short, he looked terrified and fumbled around in his pockets to find something to give her. But it was Sam that turned around to her and cast the healing spell, looking somewhat guilty - it appeared to have been her spell that back fired.

Irvine remained at her side as her breathing rate settled and slid an arm around her back to help her sit.

"I'll" Cough "Be" Cough "Fine." at last she smiled, reaching for her weapon to try and convince him but Irvine looked as though he'd been shot. He pulled her towards him not caring about the battle around them and held her. When he'd realised she was no longer at his side it had scared him, reminded him so much of the last time he had faced such a creature and it hated it. He couldn't stand to see her hurt.

"Irvine… Irvine really I'm fine now, we have to get back to this." She told him, looking straight at him and ignoring the pained look in his eyes. It wasn't the time or the place for either of them to loose their composure.

Finally, after what seemed like it took forever Irvine stood, offering his hand to her and pulling her upwards. He wanted to ask her to stand behind him but knew it wasn't fair, she was as strong and as competent as he was and it could be anyone of them knocked to the ground next time.

He wanted this over and soon.

***

"_Is it time Shiva?" Siren asked, her voice rung out like a melody and soothed the other troubled Guardian._

"_Almost, they have to break the shell. I cannot act before hand. It would be a waste of our remaining power." _

_The plane on which they resided allowed them to watch the human world below and to pass into it when needed, it was bathed in a faint light much like that of twilight and the ground on which they stood, though neither needed such a thing shone silver and felt like fresh grass beneath them._

"_How many are there?" Siren asked, her hands moving over her harp as she strung soft chords into the air._

"_Five Daughters of Hyne, five Knights. The rest are strong warriors and mages alike. It will only take one of them to finally destroy him, although I already sense it will be Rinoa Leonhart that deals the final blow." Shiva explained, watching the young woman who's mind she had inhabited for a time. _

_Siren played on, sending her power in waves to her friend as they waited, the soothing sound infusing her with a strength Shiva had almost forgotten. She turned to speak to her closest and oldest friend but her eyes were closed, fingers moving gracefully across the strings as she continued on._

_***_

Rinoa couldn't remember when she had started hearing the music, at first she had believed it to be Lilly or Dr Braska but neither were singing or humming. She had also considered that the ringing had finally gotten to her but the sound was so clear and cut through the noise around her Rinoa had no other choice than to believe it to be real.

Squall stood strong by her side, making sure she was covered and healed when needed but she knew he wasn't happy about feeling so useless. He'd spent months waiting for this - waiting to defeat this _thing_.

His chance would likely come soon, the barrier was starting to fracture, it's surface scarring in jagged lines of white. But the explosion would likely bring with it a shock wave. She knew the others were starting to prepare for it, but herself and Lily continued to concentrate their attacks on the shield, Dr Braska started another round of protection with Quistis.

All too soon it shattered though, the wave knocking most to the floor. Squall bore the brunt, choosing to stand in directly in front of her, most of the other fighters doing the same.

"Squall…" He pulled her to his chest, legs steady and firm despite the force he must have felt on his back.

"I'm… fine." He muttered, his teeth gritted in determination as the wave finally subsided. Rinoa wove a healing spell over him as he moved to stand aside again.

He rose then, the figure that of a distorted man, one shoulder slanted towards the ground as if some how partially detached and worn ancient clothes of black and red clung to his frame.

But it was his eyes that stood out, a bright burning blue, the same colour as the life draining beam that they had seen his brother use all those months before.

"_You dare to attack me?" _He screamed, sending out showers of crater debris as it moved towards the central group.

Rinoa could see Selphie and the others recovering and caught Quistis moving towards herself and Squall. Spreading out no longer seemed to be an option, at least not for their group. The Sorceresses anonymity needed to be protected at all times.

But it seemed her friend had another purpose in coming so close to her.

"Can you hear it?" Quistis asked, Save the Queen held taught between her hands.

"Yeah, do you know where it's coming from?" Rinoa asked, waiting as the long range specialists fired another range of attacks.

"I'm not sure, I don't think everyone can hear it though."

Rinoa looked around then, noticing Selphie and Laurie looking to each other for confirmation. There was no such recognition on Lily or Dr Braska's face, Squall and Zell looked mildly confused but there was no way to tell whether that was due to the situation or the sound she couldn't tell.

"Rin, you ready?" Seifer called, Hyperion raised as the monster drew ever closer.

She nodded, raising her staff and twisting her hand, the staff curved in the air, sparking red from its white surface. "Flare." Rinoa all but whispered before directing the staff forwards and engulfing the being in front of them in a powerful inferno. Several of the others followed her and the creature fell, stumbling in the aftermath.

No one breathed, no one moved, wondering whether victory was within their grasp but as they watched the ground around them turned to dust and the Island that normally radiated it's magic fell suddenly dead, no pull or draw to what lay there. Rinoa didn't really have chance to wonder why he wasn't draining them directly until she saw the ground below her start to blend into the same piercing blue of his eyes.

She cast float just in time to move their group into the air, but the light followed them still.

"Rinoa?" Squall turned to her, Lionheart still raised at the being.

"I don't know how to stop it, our attacks are hurting it but I can't see a way to stop if from drawing like that." Still the music reached her, louder above the sound of the earth falling apart below her.

_No, but I can._

The voice swam to her out of no where, no, not no where - the same place as the music.

_I know you._

She replied to the voice.

_I walked with you once young Sorceress._

And at once Rinoa knew who she was speaking with.

_You would help us after so long?_

The voice laughed.

_After everything you have shown to us. Why would we not?_

It was then that the air turned cold, water fell like snow to a ground slowly covering it's self with a vast sheet of ice, crackling through the air as it formed below them.

Shiva appeared before them then, her feet pointed towards the ice beneath her in a pose befitting of a dancer she floated to the iced surface they all now rested on, her hair settling downwards, still caught in a breeze Rinoa knew hadn't been there before.

The creature before them looked at her, horror stricken.

"_Your kind left this place._"

Shiva smiled, bringing Ice upwards to surround him. She didn't speak, didn't have to. All eyes were on her as she stepped towards him. She did, however, look to Rinoa and motion for her to follow. Squall and the others looked as though they wanted to go with her but both shook their heads.

With her staff pointed to the floor Rinoa followed her once Guardian Force and swept in the same none existent breeze, her hair and dress moved as though under water. She felt no cold, only sensed a presence with magic thankfully almost as strong as her own. The music still played and she knew who's song it was now.

He was almost covered by the time they reached him, wrapped not only in ice but the trail of now frozen blue light. Rinoa looked to Shiva in awe, being able to do such a thing was almost unheard of by a single GF, she wondered how much of a difference Siren was making.

"_My Kind knew better than to leave, did you think your awakening would go unnoticed? We cannot interfere unless called upon by humans. But we have always been watching." _Shiva's voice was almost as clear cut as the ice around them.

"_They Would not call you - they have not." _He was clearly in pain, still trying to struggle against the ice surrounding him on all sides.

"_Odin was once just a man. You know to whom he became a Knight, who better than to have summoned us." _

_Do you understand Sorceress?_

_Yes._

_Will you finish this?_

_Yes._

_Very well. After this you will truly be on your own._

_We always thought we were._

Shiva seemed to smile, briefly turning to Rinoa. The sorceress stood to be almost right at her side, the others on guard behind them.

_Thank you._

Raising her hand in the same elegant way they had witnessed hundreds of times before, Shiva rested her finger and thumb against each other. Clicking them together made everything was deathly silent until the ice around them shattered and blue light shot high up into the air dissipating as it went.

Shiva disappeared at the same time, the sounds fading until only her ghostly presence was left.

_Go now Sorceress._

_Right._

The Ice below them still held fast but the monster before them was still holding onto his form. Rinoa swooped towards him, keeping low and before he could move swinging the staff in a large arc, almost spinning on the spot with the staff.

He screamed, the same piercing sound she had heard before.He was falling apart before their eyes. Rinoa waited, wondering if she would need to hit him again, grateful that although her staff had been smoothed over there was enough of an edge to slice through her opponent. But it seemed there was no need, Squall came to stand at her side with Quistis and Lily not too far behind.

He was still moving, trying to reach them. he almost seemed more desperate than his brother and in some ways he was. This was the end, the final chance and a last attempt to claim what they had long since strived for.

But as before, A Sorceress, descended from the one who had had him imprisoned in the first place had finished them both. The only pride he took with him as he faded was those lost souls they had claimed and taken with them.

***

"_Odin!" The voice called over the sound of the waves._

_The woman who called to him was smiling, her back to her beautiful castle behind them and her hair sparkling red and gold in the light of the setting sun._ S_he was stood at the edge of the tall grass that lined the lowest part of the path that lead to their castle home._

"_Hyne?" He was young again, he could walk with the ease of the man he had once been._

"_Is it finished?" He asked, hoping that he had been able to prevent them from returning to the world._

"_Yes my darling." She was in front of him now, the subtle scent of flowers woven through her hair was so very tempting but as enthralled as he was to be in her presence after such a long time the only contact he managed was to take her hand._

_Hyne laughed and simply lead him along the path. _

***

The battle was done, the fight over. The ice still remained across the island leaving them to wonder whether it would ever disappear. Rinoa sensed that it was Shiva's doing and it would remain as the memorial to those who died. 

Squall, herself, Selphie and Irvine were sat on the secondary deck of the Ragnarok. Selphie was lying against Irvine whilst sat on his lap. She seemed content enough but it was Irvine that Rinoa paid particular attention to. He looked as though he'd almost lost something, something that would have killed him. She shared a look with him and hoped he'd learned his lesson.

Squall put his arm around her, letting her rest against him. Rinoa was tired, they all were but she knew she wouldn't sleep or rest until She'd seen her daughter.

Towards the back of the second bridge Lily was asleep against Liam Elden with Eagles watching over them both. It had been agreed by all who were there that it had been Shiva who had delivered the fatal blow and Rinoa had simply done the final damage. Some would, of course still be suspicious but not enough to over throw the order of things.

"We'll be there shortly." They heard Seifer call over the intercom.

It was over.

It was finally over.

***

There is another chapter for the epilogue to come which should be done in the next few weeks. Reviews and constructive criticism welcome! Thanks.


	19. Epilogue

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VIII does not belong to me, it belongs to Square Enix. This story was written purely for entertainment value and no money has or will exchange hands for this. All original characters and story lines do belong to me.

Author Note: I apologise for the long delay but things have been a little difficult and I have been unable to get this written until now. I can't even recall whether I replied to the reviews from the last chapter. If I did that's okay but if I didn't thank you all very much for your reviews! Many thanks to Vilg oui, Daughterofsorceress-lion, Lily-pois and Obsessivecompulsivevalkyrie for sticking with this, your comments encouraged me to get this finished. This chapter is also for those who've reviewed, favouriteded this story and also to any beta readers past and present.

* * *

Epilogue 

Hikari sat playing with her Chocobo and Cactuar plushies on the floor of the Balamb Garden apartment that served as their first home. She was seven months old now with a thick head of black hair just like her mothers and showing the first signs of determination from her father. Rinoa was thankful that was the only trait she seemed to have picked up.

Rinoa had spent the morning making the final arrangements for their journey to Trabia Garden, Selphie had decided that was where she and Irvine were going to get married. It had been both her and their homes at times so it seemed a somewhat fitting choice.

Laurie, Quistis and herself had been chosen as bridesmaids, Selphie chose to ignore the technicality that they were all married by now, Seifer and Quistis choosing to elope two months after they returned from Esthar.

Things were almost back to normal, at least with regards to threats to Garden. The Dead had finally been named and memorials had been set up in both Galbadia Garden and Esthar. They had all been in attendance and although it was all behind them it had left so many questions about what else was out there that the specialist research teams had become a permanent division within Garden.

It was currently lead by Herself and Laurie with Lily, Sam and Liam Elden as their deputies. They were all special class anyway but others had since joined and Garden was becoming not only a place for military back up but also a research facility. It was the best change Rinoa could have wished for and it made her feel so much more at home than she ever had before.

Her packing finished and everything ready Rinoa set herself down on the floor to join in with her daughters games.

* * *

One of her favourite things about being married was not the rings or the piece of paper that declared them so, it was waking up beside Seifer every morning in their apartment and knowing he was the only person she would ever wake up to. She knew it was a sappy sentiment and it was one she would never admit to but it was the truth. Whatever her worries had been about getting married had been forgotten.

"Morning." Seifer grumbled as he roused from sleep. He shifted around in the bed to be facing her, managing to avoid taking most of the covers with him as he went. He made sure to pull her close to him as well.

Quistis suppressed a giggle, still adamant that was something she didn't do and adjusted so her body fit with his. Sighing she wrapped her arms around him, her head nuzzling his neck. They would have to get up soon and there wouldn't really be an opportunity in the next few days for much time alone. Selphie was a woman with a schedule and despite Rinoa taking up the position of maid of honour they would still only be servants of 'the list' until the wedding was over.

She was so glad they had decided to elope.

At some point Seifer had started placing little kisses and nips along her neck and collar bone.

"Seifer…." She warned.

"We have time." He told her, now moving them so she lay on her back and he was resting on top of her.

"Says who?" She asked, although she was beginning to wonder why she was arguing at all, next to waking up with him every morning this was the best thing about being married.

He rested on his elbows, leaning down to kiss her and he felt her arms wind around neck. He didn't say anything, just pressed his lips to hers, silencing all arguments, at least for a little while.

* * *

Lily Rosenhart still wasn't sure how she felt about her newly found promotion. On the one hand it gave her a stable home and a good job, but it could one day lead to the discovery of something best left alone.

After all of their belongings had been retrieved from Galbadia and Trabia, Liam Elden had suggested they move in together. She had been uncertain at first, not wanting to loose her own freedom and personal space but at the same time knew it was something they would be doing sooner or later. They had come to a rather unusual compromise, although they shared a bedroom, Lily kept very few of her own things in there and instead used another room as hers but with a sofa instead of a bed. Their friends had shrugged and described it as a very Lily thing to do but Liam Eagles had completely understood, he'd also claimed ownership of the couch in that room whenever he came to visit.

So far their work had only provided details on previous world events in history and some advanced magic textbooks that were barely readable in any language. It was an interesting and rewarding job, at least so far and anyone on the team was allowed to take any other missions they wanted. In Lily's case she was more likely to be requested than to volunteer but it meant missions with Sam and they were never dull.

The Sorceresses had remained undiscovered and Sam had finally allowed herself to be tested, as thought she was a High level White Sorceress. Anyone who had any suspicions at all hadn't said a word, Garden was, after all now responsible in some way for their well-being, without them the final battle would not have been won so easily.

"You ready?" Liam Elden asked her, she hadn't noticed him come in and he now stood in the doorway with their suitcases ready and Lily's coat over his arm.

"Yeah. I was just finishing up." She locked her computer system down and stood, grabbing her staff as they headed out. Liam held his hand out to her and she levitated the luggage.

"You excited about going back?" She asked, knowing Liam had been happy about the wedding invitation, it not only allowed him to see one of his favourite instructors getting married but it also meant he could see some of his old friends whilst he was there.

"Yeah, it'll be weird to see it again and not be living there, but I can't say I miss the cold."

Lily couldn't help but smile then. "You're happy here then." She asked.

"Yeah, very. This whole place feels so relaxed, I don't know whether it's the fountains or that music they play through the speakers for most of the day but it feels like home here now."

"Good." Lily gave him a quick kiss on the cheek as they carried on towards the docking bay for the Ragnarok.

* * *

By the time everyone was assembled and on board, the Ragnarok was pretty full. Rinoa, Squall, Quistis, Seifer, Lily and Liam Elden manned the bridge with Hikari in a specially designed baby seat next to her mother. The pushchair Rinoa had bought from Esthar was in the hold along with most of their luggage.

Everyone else was in the secondary deck. Selphie once again being ordered to stay away from the controls and was currently being distracted by the Dincht family. Rinoa had to thank Zell and Laurie for that later.

"Do you think she's going to be okay?" Squall asked, eyeing his daughter currently sleeping in the seat next to her mother.

Rinoa laughed gently, she loved his paternal side. "She'll be fine, I know when we travelled with her last time I carried her but she's older now and She'll want to fidget, the chair has her toys attached to it, she'll be fine."

Squall nodded but still looked uncertain.

"If you like when we get to Esthar to pick up your father and Ellone we can take her for a walk around some of the city." Rinoa added, starting up the controls.

Squall nodded again but looked somewhat relieved. He gave the call that they were embarking and with that the ship was in the air. Anything Selphie had forgotten she wouldn't need…. the cargo hold was mostly filled with her things after all.

* * *

"And this is where Dr Odin works, he looks like some form of demented clown so we're not going in there today." Squall informed his daughter, he'd taken her out of her pram a little while ago and held her in his arms pointing out all the different places around Esthars main city. Rinoa pushed the pram at their side, content to listen to Squalls tour, he was pretty knowledgeable when it came to the city but it was the comments and personal touch he added to it that she enjoyed the most.

Laguna was on his way with Ellone, they had all agreed to meet back at the the Ragnarok although only the Dincht family and themselves had decided to leave the ship.

Hikari giggled as her father lightly bounced her up and down, continuing to point everything out to her on their way back. Rinoa couldn't think of a time in her life when she had been happier. She and Squall had decided to ignore any communications they had received from her father, they were surrounded by friends and Squall's father and sister, there was no need for anyone else in their lives. If her father did decide to change his mind he knew where to find them.

"How long do we have?" Squall asked.

"Half an hour, but we're almost there." Rinoa told him, he joined her by the pram, one arm around her and the other still securely around their daughter.

"We're going to see Granddad Laguna now." Squall told the little girl who was still giggling and pointing all around her.

"Best to get the over excitement out of the way before we fly to Trabia, either that or we ban your granddad from the bridge again. What do you think HIkari?" Mother and daughter just laughed.

* * *

The Great Hall in Trabia Garden had been decorated with yellow and white flowers places all around the grand structure, winding up the many pillars whilst large white drapes fell from the dome almost carrying the bright white light from outside into the large expanse.

Selphie wasn't really the type to go for a quieter affair and almost the entire population of Trabia Garden was in attendance. As well as everyone they had brought with them from Balamb and others who'd made their own way from Esthar or Galbadia for their wedding.

Everyone was seated with Laguna stood at the front of the altar, seeing as he was licensed to perform wedding ceremonies Selphie couldn't think of a more fitting choice and Irvine had readily agreed. Laguna had been her Idol for so long - even after knowing him as part of her extended family - and the man himself seemed more than happy to be there, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. Irvine had this fear that if their first child was a boy Selphie would want to name it after the man… he might have to draw the line at that.

Squall was stood by his side in his dress uniform, all the men present were dressed as such and any of the women who weren't part of the wedding party. Irvine had chosen not to be, wanting to wear a suit that would compliment Selphie's dress with one yellow carnation in his breast pocket.

Seifer was placed on the front row with Hikari in his lap, at his side Zell sat with Alex and the twins. Alex was wearing a suit of his own, Maria was wearing a dress similar to both Hikari's and the bridesmaid dresses. Selphie wanted everything to be perfect for the wedding photo's and thus everything had to fit in with the theme.

After what felt like an eternity the musicians started to play the first bars of the melody they had chosen, everyone in the great hall turned towards the large doors that lead into it. After only a second, although it felt like an eternity to Irvine, they opened.

Quistis and Laurie were the first to walk forwards, both in pale yellow empire line dresses with small yellow flowers sewn in a scatter pattern over the material. Their hair was left to fall over their shoulders with only two white flowers clipped in on one side. Their bouquets were a simple arrangement of white and yellow carnations. They looked beautiful and soft and nothing at all like the shade of yellow many of the guests had been secretly dreading.

Rinoa was the next to follow them, in the same dress only with a small ring of daisies round her head she looked more etherial than the others and walked with a gentle smile on her face.

Selphie followed with slow, practiced steps. She had decided not to let anyone give her away, it was more important to her that Laguna marry them than walk her down the Isle. her dress was white and held the same empire line as her bridesmaids but whereas the others were made of one piece of fabric, Selphie's had three layers, two that separated at the front of the dress and also formed the train. Yellow and white flowers were sewn in in an increasing gradient towards the end of the train, her veil held more of the same with a crown of silver crafted flowers topping it off. She looked stunning and Irvine couldn't take his eyes from her.

When they reached the front, Laurie and Quistis took seats next to Seifer, who was sat quite happily with Hikari on his everyone else there he was paying more attention to the little girl than the wedding.

Rinoa took her place besides Selphie mirroring the place with Squall as they were to act as witnesses for the ceremony. Irvine reached for Selphies hand, she was inwardly thankful they had decided not to wear the gloves intended to go with the dresses, feeling his hand warm within hers calmed her nerves.

"Shall we begin?" laguna asked them, a proud smile on his face and his hands clasped formally behind his back, he wore the full and official robes he was entitled to as the ruler of Esthar.

Both Irvine and Selphie looked at each other before nodding, Irvine releasing her hand to lift her veil.

"Ladies and Gentlemen."

The ceremony was traditional, both choosing to leave out the personal vows present at Squall and Rinoa's wedding, it was something to be spoken of afterwards, despite their displays of public affection - sometimes too public - they kept the serious stuff private.

"You may kiss the bride." Laguna said after what felt like an eternity. Selphie had tears in her eyes when Irvine kissed her and their audience applauded as they walked to sign the marriage papers, Squall and Rinoa joining hands and following close behind them.

* * *

They had chosen to spend their Honey moon in Trabia and Esthar, a week in each. Laguna had insisted they stay in the executive suite at the palace and had made sure everything they wanted was brought to them. Selphie had been blown away, enjoying the hot springs in the mountains of Trabia, their Snow Ball fight in the Garden early in the morning….. it had been better than anything she could have imagined.

Rinoa and Squall had joined them for the last two days of their honey moon, they were brining the Ragnarok with them to bring them all home safely.

The tropical weather in Esthar had taken a day or two to get used to but Selphie and Irvine had taken to spending a lot of time exploring the large pool and all the small caves littered around the area. It had felt like another world… one she didn't want to leave, but at least having her cousin there would make the transition back to the real world a little less of a shock.

"It's so good to be able to fit into all my pre pregnancy clothes." Rinoa commented, lounging with Selphie in the pool, they were sat on the underwater bench underneath the palm trees.

"It's so good just to be able to spend all day doing this." Selphie replied, placing her drink back on the side of the pool. She was wearing the yellow one piece with the mini skirt detail around the bottom that Rinoa had bought her as a wedding present. Rinoa herself was in a midnight blue two piece that sparkled in the late morning sunshine.

"How does it feel to be married?" Rinoa asked, smiling along with her cousin.

"Amazing… I mean we're still us and we're still together but it feels different now. I don't know how else to explain it."

"I know how you feel."

Selphie giggled remembering the last couple of weeks, this was actually the longest she and Irvine had been apart in that time.

"It might interest you to know that Squall has some papers he needs to go over with his Father, an agreement between Garden and Esthar that's up for renewal so we'll be staying for a few extra days, we expect you two to stay with us."

"Oh?" Selphie looked a little concerned.

"Nothing to worry about, the time is more of a formality, they just need to sign the existing agreement. Laguna just really wanted to see Hikari again, it's easier for us to visit him than the other way around." Rinoa slid down from the bench further into the water. "Come for a swim?" She asked, moving her arms through the water.

Selphie finished the last of her drink and followed Rinoa, almost diving at her as she pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you so much." She whispered in Rinoa's ear. Her cousin just laughed and hugged her back before the two of them swam towards the water slide section of the pool and spent the rest of the day acting like the carefree women they'd once thought impossible.

* * *

Rinoa couldn't quite remember how exactly she'd ended up agreeing to sit in a room full of politicians all determined to declare how wonderful they thought each others view points were… especially when it continued for 6 hours. When the agreement had been re agreed and signed she was smiling more out of relief that she and Squall could leave than happiness that they'd managed to get it sorted out.

Squall had taken her hand and lead her back to their apartment. Selphie and Irvine had been looking after Hikari for the afternoon and by now their daughter would be asleep.

Squall pushed their door open, put the keys back into his pocket. He slid his arm around Rinoa, who although awake was drowsy at his side and guided her out onto the balcony. The sun was almost set and he knew it was her favourite view of the city.

Their friends greeted them briefly before slipping out and Squall returned with hot chocolate, placing two mugs on the table in front of them and pulling his wife into his lap.

"Tired?" he asked.

"Hmm, long day, plus swimming tired me out yesterday." She buried her face against his chest to keep warm from the chill beginning to fall upon the city.

"You ready to go home tomorrow?" Squall asked, planting kisses in her hair and just enjoying the feeling of her in his arms. He wouldn't deny how much he'd enjoyed the last couple of weeks, no monsters trying to destroy their world, no wedding plans to disrupt his plans… just a normal peaceful existence with relatively little paper work and plenty of time with his wife and daughter.

"Yeah, I really am." She looked up at him then, took in the soft smile on his face and the expression in his eyes and she kissed him, closing the gap between them easily.

It was familiar but with the same warmth that reached her core and settled her, she could tell that things were about to change - had been changing for some time now. They were grown adults, a mature group of friends instead of the warriors, Sorceresses and Knights their world had forced them to become.

Selphie and Irvine would inevitably start a family, she was sure Seifer and Quistis would do the same and although not for the next year or so Rinoa knew she and Squall wanted a brother or Sister for Hikari. She felt as though there was really the time for all of that now, No more stopping whenever a crisis hit…. Lily Rosenhart, Sam Witters, Dr Braska and the countless others were there to help.

It meant a refocussing on Gardens spotlight but it meant a life she hadn't dared hoped for would continue onwards for them, but all other thoughts were lost to the night air, along with the remnants of the hot chocolate left untouched on the balcony table. Squall was carrying her to bed and in between slow kisses she knew she was falling asleep. Drifting under the moment her head touched the pillow and only vaguely aware of Squalls arms wrapped around her as they both fell into sleep.

* * *

The End

* * *

I cannot say Thank you enough to those of you that have stuck with this. It's unlikely that I'll write another FFVIII story but I have something else planned using Squall and Rinoa…. just in another Square Enix setting, but we shall see.

Thank you once again, reviews and constructive criticism are much appreciated.


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